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 Lieutenant Colonel (Air Corps) James Richard Watt (ASN: 0-361717), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-40 Fighter Airplane in Headquarters, 343d Fighter Group, ELEVENTH Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on 23 May 1943, during an air mission near Attu Island, Territory of Alaska. As the leader of a formation of airplanes Lieutenant Colonel Watt, with fearless leadership and exceptional flying ability, led his formation against a numerically superior force of enemy planes. In spite of unfavorable weather conditions and the enemy’s superior force, Lieutenant Colonel Watt immediately attacked, forcing the enemy to jettison their bombs and turn back to their own base before reaching their target. He pressed the attack with aggressiveness, daring and total disregard of his own personal safety. Lieutenant Colonel Watt was last to break off pursuit of the enemy and then only when he had been hit. The aggressive and intelligent leadership of Lieutenant Colonel Watt, with complete disregard of personal safety, was without doubt the main factor in the success of the mission and worthy of the highest traditions of the Armed Forces.