Under the provisions of Department of Defense 1348.33-M, the Secretary of Defense of the United States of America takes pleasure in awarding the Defense Superior Service Medal to Major General Walter Hope Baxter, III, United States Air Force, for exceptionally superior service to the Department of Defense as Air Deputy, Air Forces North, from 1979 to 1981. The distinctive accomplishments of General Baxter reflect great credit upon himself, the United States Air Force, and the Department of Defense.