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 Major (Air Corps) William Lawrence Leverette (ASN: 0-322014), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-38 Fighter Airplane and Commanding Officer of the 37th Fighter Squadron, 14th Fighter Group, TWELFTH Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on 9 October 1943, during an air mission in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. On that date, Major Leverette led seven P-38s on a mission to protect Royal Navy warships in the Mediterranean Sea. When he sighted a formation of 30 German JU-87 Stuka dive bombers, he sent three of his fighters to fly top cover while he and the other three closed on the Stukas which had a gunner manning a flexible machine gun plus two wing-mounted guns. Major Leverette took out seven of the Stukas while his unit shot down another nine, plus a JU-88. The rest either headed for home or ended up in the sea. Major Leverette’s unquestionable valor in aerial combat is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 12th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.