The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Captain James English (MCSN: 0-13525), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism in action against the enemy while serving as leader of a flight of four aircraft attached to Marine Fighter Squadron TWO HUNDRED FOURTEEN (VMF-214), aboard the U.S.S. SICILY (CVE-118) on 31 August 1950 over the Pohangdong area. Leading his four-plane flight in close air support of friendly forces attempting to repel an attack by a determined and numerically superior enemy, Captain English located the hostile troops massing in a staging area. Despite accurate and intense small arms anti-aircraft fire, he led his flight in repeated rocket, bombing and strafing attacks. Personally scoring direct, killing hits with his bomb and rockets, Captain English set an outstanding example of daring, cool courage and expert airmanship, inspiring the other pilots of his flight to follow his lead in pressing home perilous tree-top level attacks through a hail of return fire in support of our beleaguered ground forces. Sustaining a direct hit from enemy fire during his last rocket attack, he crashed to his death in the midst of the disrupted hostile troops. By his aggressive fighting spirit and loyal devotion to duty, Captain English was instrumental in saving many of his comrades in the ground troops, thereby upholding the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
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Awards Received
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Distinguished Flying Cross
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Distinguished Flying Cross
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Distinguished Flying Cross
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Distinguished Flying Cross
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Second Gold Star in lieu of a Third Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain James English (MCSN: 0-13525), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight in the Solomon’s Islands Area from 19 August 1943 to 23 August 1943. Captain English participated in sixty flights in an active combat area where enemy anti-aircraft fire was expected to be effective and enemy aircraft patrols usually occur. His conduct throughout has distinguished him among those performing duties of the same character.
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Distinguished Flying Cross
Service:
United States Marine CorpsRank:
CaptainAction Date:
June 17 – August 4, 1943
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain James English (MCSN: 0-13525), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight in the Solomon’s Islands Area from 17 June 1943 to 4 August 1943. Captain English participated in forty flights in an active combat area where enemy anti-aircraft fire was expected to be effective and enemy aircraft patrols usually occur. His conduct throughout has distinguished him among those performing duties of the same character.
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Distinguished Flying Cross
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain James English (MCSN: 0-13525), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight in the Solomon Islands Area from 13 May 1943 to 19 May 1943. Captain English participated in twenty flights in an active combat area where enemy anti-aircraft fire was expected to be effective and enemy aircraft patrols usually occur. His conduct throughout has distinguished him among those performing duties of the same character.