(Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to First Lieutenant (Air Corps) William Thomas Kemp (ASN: 0-682656), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-51 Fighter Airplane in the 375th Fighter Squadron, 361st Fighter Group, EIGHTH Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on 20 July 1944, in the European Theater of Operations. On that date, Lieutenant Kemp was flying fighter-cover for a group of bombers. After the bombers dropped their load, Lieutenant Kemp’s fighter was hit and he was himself badly wounded. Limping back to home base, he became separated from his group, when he saw as massive flight of as many as 50 Me-109s attacking a formation of American bombers. He was credited with destroying one Me-109 and one FW-190 and then, despite the fact that his ammunition was gone, he continued to enter the enemy formation, confusing them and causing them to break off their attack. Single-handedly, wounded, and flying a badly damaged fighter airplane that was out of ammunition, he broke up the attack by a vastly superior number of enemy fighters on American bombers. First Lieutenant Kemp’s unquestionable valor in aerial combat is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 8th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.