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 with Combat “V” to Lieutenant Colonel Daniel J. Hampton, United States Air Force, for heroism while participating in aerial flight as F-16CJ Fighter Pilot, 77th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, 363d Expeditionary Operations Group, 363d Air Expeditionary Wing at Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 6 April 2003. On that date, near Baghdad, Iraq, Colonel Hampton’s flight was tasked for a destruction of enemy air defenses mission over Baghdad in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. Visually acquiring a military complex northeast of Baghdad, Colonel Hampton conducted armed reconnaissance of the area in the heart of the surface-to-air threat envelope. Discovering four heavily defended SA-3 surface-to-air missile sites, Colonel Hampton assumed the responsibility of on-scene commander, immediately marked the target area and began strike coordination with three different command and control agencies. Despite intense, guided enemy anti-aircraft artillery fire and the dense concentration of surface-to-air missile threats, he attacked the missile sites with precision cluster munitions and the 20-millimeter cannon personally destroying two of the emplacements. Evading heavy 57-millimeter ground fire Colonel Hampton marked a third battery with the 20-millimeter cannon. Colonel Hampton then talked his wingman onto the target and covered him while he destroyed the site with precision cluster munitions. Low on fuel, Colonel Hampton remained on station, as airborne forward air controller for an inbound flight of F-16’s. Providing detailed targeting information and in-flight control, Colonel Hampton’s courage, aggressiveness and skillful tactical execution under extremely dangerous circumstances resulted in the total destruction of four Iraqi surface-to-air missile sites and the overall success of the mission. The outstanding heroism and selfless devotion to duty displayed by Colonel Hampton reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross with Combat “V” to Lieutenant Colonel Daniel J. Hampton, United States Air Force, for heroism while participating in aerial flight as F-16CJ Fighter Pilot, 77th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, 363d Expeditionary Operations Group, 363d Air Expeditionary Wing at Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 24 March 2003. On that date, near Nasiriyah, Iraq, Colonel Hampton led his flight into the hostile sky over Nasiriyah where the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force was engaged into a street-to-street combat. The enemy reinforcement corridor lay along a single road north of the city and it was here that the forward air controller directed urgent immediate interdiction. Colonel Hampton rapidly oriented himself to the highly dynamic ground battle and immediately directed the movement of air refueling assets closer to Nasiriyah to increase his time on station. Deteriorating weather conditions and the absolute need to avoid fratricide by positively identifying the target necessitated a low altitude attack through the heat of the surface-to-air threat envelope. Colonel Hampton commenced the attack with his 20-millimeter cannon. He targeted the largest military vehicle along the road and skillfully destroyed it in a single pass. The destruction of this target blocked the Iraqi supply line and significantly delayed further enemy reinforcement during this critical battle. Colonel Hampton’s courage under fire, his heroism and commitment to mission success led to battlefield victory, the saving of coalition lives and the overall objectives of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. The outstanding heroism and selfless devotion to duty displayed by Colonel Hampton reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.