The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to First Lieutenant Robert Markham Hudson, United States Air Force, for heroism while participating in aerial flight as a B-52 Copilot over North Vietnam on 26 December 1972. On that date, Lieutenant Hudson participated in a high-priority bombing mission against a vital military target in heavily-defended areas of North Vietnam. Despite the intensity of defensive reaction and the extreme hazards posed by numerous surface-to-air missiles and hostile interceptors, Lieutenant Hudson displayed a courageous willingness to place the mission above his personal safety in directing his aircraft to a successful release of his ordnance on the designated target. The outstanding heroism and selfless devotion to duty displayed by Lieutenant Hudson reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.





