(Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Staff Sergeant Thomas Edward Johnson (ASN: 18050657), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Flight Engineer and Gunner of a B-24 Heavy Bomber in the 579th Bombardment Squadron, 392d Bombardment Group (H), EIGHTH Air Force, while participating in a bombing mission on 20 December 1943, against enemy ground targets in the European Theater of Operations. On that date, Staff Sergeant Johnson’s B-24 Bomber was engaged in an especially hazardous mission to Bremen. Flak had damaged his aircraft severely, knocking out two engines. Over his home base, the other two engines quit. With interphone communication out, the pilot called out for a crash landing. The engineer knew that one of the gunners was caught in the nose of the bomber-a sure death trap on a crash landing. Realizing that the gunner could not have heard the order for a crash landing, Sergeant Johnson crawled into the nose and, without stopping to explain, pulled the gunner out. With precious seconds slipping by as the bomber came closer to the earth, Sergeant Johnson stepped back into the bomb bay and threw the gunner to safely on the flight deck. Sergeant Johnson never escaped from the bomb bay. The personal courage and zealous devotion to duty displayed by Staff Sergeant Johnson on this occasion have upheld the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the 8th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.