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 Albert Victor Hodges, Jr. (AFSN: 0-2224077), United States Air Force, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Pilot of an F-86 with the 36th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 8th Fighter Bomber Wing, FIFTH Air Force, on 15 June 1953. Leading a flight of four F-86 aircraft, Lieutenant Hodges displayed outstanding leadership, navigational skill, and exceptional combat effectiveness while leading his flight through a hazy overcast near dusk over hazardous mountainous terrain near Oun-san Mountain in the “Door Knob” – “Punch Bowl” area, North Korea. With the aid of a mosquito controller, Lieutenant Hodges located the target, an enemy strongpoint, and initiated an attack. Lieutenant Hodges, making a dangerously low dive bombing run on the enemy positions, displayed exceptional accuracy by scoring direct hits. Pulling up from his run, Lieutenant Hodges then orbited the target area directing the remaining members of his flight in their attack, resulting in a damage assessment of twelve personal shelters destroyed, ten mortar positions damaged, eight automatic weapons positions damaged, and one hundred yards of trench destroyed. There was also one huge secondary explosion observed by the controller. June 15th was the day after the breakthrough in friendly lines in the “Door Knob” area and this was Lieutenant Hodges’ fourth close support lead for the day. As a result of this highly successful mission, enemy positions which had previously been launching savage attacks in the recent “big push” against the United Nations Forces were wiped out, greatly weakening the enemy’s potential in this area. By his outstanding leadership, skill, and devotion to duty, Lieutenant Hodges has brought great credit upon himself and the United States Army Air Forces.