The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star to First Lieutenant (Air Corps) Coleman Stripling (ASN: 0-416916), United States Army Air Forces, for gallantry in action against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a B-17 Flying Fortress Bomber of the FIFTH Air Force, in aerial operations over Milne Bay, New Guinea, in the Southwest Pacific Theater of Operations, on 26 August 1942. Because of adverse weather conditions and the problems of a night take-off and assembly, the Flying Fortress of which First Lieutenant Stripling was pilot was unable to join his flight on its mission to bomb a Japanese convoy, escorted by three destroyers and two gunboats in Milne Bay. Lieutenant Stripling, therefore, proceeded to the target area alone and, upon arrival, found unusually heavy and accurate anti-aircraft fire. Lieutenant Stripling saw one plane of the formation shot down and then made three bombing runs on the cruiser whose anti-aircraft fire had destroyed the aircraft in his flight. He scored three near misses on the warship from extremely low altitude without damage to his own plane. During the bombing, Lieutenant Stripling’s plane strafed the convoy with machine gun fire and caused additional damage to enemy property and personnel. The gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty demonstrated by First Lieutenant Stripling, without regard for his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army Air Forces.