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 (Air Corps) Robert Harold Knapp (ASN: 0-665576), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as a Fighter Pilot of the 342d Fighter Squadron, 348th Fighter Group, FIFTH Air Force, in an aerial flight over Arawe, New Britain, on 31 December 1943. Lieutenant Knapp was flying a P-47D2 type airplane in a formation of thirteen fighters when three enemy dive bombers were sighted. In the ensuing engagement, he opened fire on one dive bomber from a range of one hundred yards and saw it burst into flames at the left wing root. He immediately attacked a second bomber which burst into flames at both wings. Observing the first bomber still in the air, he fired on it again until it crashed.
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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
Service:
United States Army Air ForcesRank:
Captain (Air Corps)Batallion:
342d Fighter SquadronRegiment:
348th Fighter GroupDivision:
5th Air ForceAction Date:
December 20, 1944
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting a Second Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Third Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain (Air Corps) Robert Harold Knapp (ASN: 0-665576), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as a P-47 Fighter Pilot of the 342d Fighter Squadron, 348th Fighter Group, FIFTH Air Force, over Mindoro, Philippine Islands, on 20 December 1944. This officer, flying in a formation of twelve P-47’s, contacted a number of Japanese fighters. He and his wingman climbed to 11,000 feet and pursued one of them. In the ensuing engagement, Captain Knapp fired a short burst, and the enemy aircraft went down in flames. Spotting a second fighter approximately 1,000 feet above him, Captain Knapp climbed and poured a short burst of machine-gun fire into the hostile plane from dead astern. It went down trialing smoke and crashed about one mile inland. The outstanding courage and devotion to duty displayed by Captain Knapp are worthy of the highest commendation.
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Distinguished Flying Cross
Service:
United States Army Air ForcesRank:
First Lieutenant (Air Corps)Batallion:
342d Fighter SquadronRegiment:
348th Fighter GroupDivision:
5th Air ForceAction Date:
August 30 – November 20, 1943
Headquarters, 5th Air Force, General Orders No. 329 (December 12, 1944)The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to First Lieutenant (Air Corps) Robert Harold Knapp (ASN: 0-665576), United States Army Air Forces, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as a P-47 Fighter Pilot of the 342d Fighter Squadron, 348th Fighter Group, FIFTH Air Force, in action against the enemy in aerial combat in the Pacific Theater of Operations from 30 August 1943 to 20 November 1943. These operations consisted of over fifty missions including escorting bombers and transport aircraft, interception and attack missions, and patrol and reconnaissance flights. In the course of these operations, strafing and bombing attacks were made from dangerously low altitudes, destroying and damaging enemy installations and equipment.