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 Major (Air Corps) George E. Falkner, United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight in the invasion of France on D-Day, 6 June 1944. Major Falkner piloted a troop carrier which was one of the first to drop paratroopers in the Cherbourg area. The courage, skill, and technical proficiency displayed by this officer in his brilliant leadership of a fleet of unarmed, unarmored troop carrier aircraft to discharge missions of vital importance to the opening phase of military operations on the Continent, reflects great credit upon himself and the Army Air Forces.