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 Sergeant Thomas F. O’Malley (ASN: 6878472), U.S. Army Air Corps, for extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight as a member of the 27th Reconnaissance Squadron, in a flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, on 5 March 1940. While flying at an altitude of about 2,500 feet above sea level over mountainous terrain which reduced the effective altitude over the hills to a much lesser amount, both engines of the airplane to which he was serving as Crew Chief suddenly stopped. When the pilot ordered him and the four officer passengers aboard to jump by parachute, Sergeant O’Malley, with great coolness and presence of mind, released the emergency door, adjusted the parachutes of the passengers, assisted them overboard, and then instead of jumping himself, with complete disregard of his personal safety, joined the pilot and rendered valuable assistance to him in the crash landing which followed. The courage, coolness, and skill displayed by Sergeant O’Malley on this occasion in voluntarily remaining in the disabled airplane to assist four officers inexperienced in flying and the use of parachutes undoubtedly contributed materially to their safe descent, and reflects great credit upon himself and the Air Corps of the Army of the United States.