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 Second Lieutenant (Air Corps) August Victor DeGenaro (ASN: 0-792814), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-47 Fighter Airplane in the 82d Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group, EIGHTH Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces over enemy-occupied Continental Europe on 14 July 1943. With utter disregard for his own personal safety he fearlessly went to the assistance of a comrade who was being attacked by an enemy airplane, even though he knowingly subjected himself to violent attack. He successfully warded off the threat to his comrade, whose life he probably saved. Lieutenant DeGenaro himself was then immediately set upon by hostile airplanes, and after taking violent evasive action found himself at a low altitude surrounded by a large formation of enemy fighters. In the ensuing battle he succeeded in destroying one fight but sustained serous damage to the aircraft and was himself severely wounded. Suffering intensely and with his flying ability handicapped by his wounds and the damage to the aircraft, he sought cover in the clouds and fought his way back to friendly territory. Because he was unable to land the crippled aircraft Lieutenant DeGenaro was forced to abandon it when he approached the English coast. With full knowledge that in his wounded condition he would be unable to use his dinghy to save himself from drowning, he bailed out over the sea to avoid the risk of the aircraft crashing on the thickly populated coast. A fisherman rescued him from the sea. The extraordinary heroism and courage displayed by this officer are a splendid answer to the call of duty and are outstanding in the annals of aerial combat.