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 Lieutenant Colonel (Air Corps) Richard William Fellows (AFSN: FR-1334/ASN: 0-20655), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight while serving as formation leader of heavy bombardment aircraft of the 376th Bombardment Group, FIFTEENTH Air Force, on a mission against a vitally important and heavily defended enemy aircraft factory in Austria, on 30 May 1944. Displaying outstanding leadership, professional skill and teamwork, Lieutenant Colonel Fellows led the formation directly to the assigned target, avoiding all known areas of enemy anti-aircraft concentrations. In the target area under heavy barrages of flak, he coolly and expertly led his formation through the enemy defenses for a highly successful bombing run. Grave damage was inflicted on vital enemy installations and widespread destruction was evidenced throughout factory buildings and warehouses. Turning from the target, he quickly rallied his planes, bringing them safely through enemy territory to base. By his superb leadership, skillful coordination and outstanding professional skill under such hazardous conditions, in bringing his formation through formidable enemy defenses for a successful attack on the objective, he has upheld the highest traditions of the Military Service, thereby reflecting great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States of America.
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Awards Received
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Legion of Merit
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Silver Star
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Distinguished Flying Cross
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Legion of Merit
United States Military Academy Register of Graduates(Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: Brigadier General Richard William Fellows (AFSN: FR-1334/ASN: 0-20655), United States Air Force, was awarded the Legion of Merit for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States from 1964 to 1966. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of General Fellows culminate a long and distinguished career in the service of his country and his dedicated contributions reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.
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Silver Star
Service:
United States Army Air ForcesRank:
Lieutenant Colonel (Air Corps)Regiment:
376th Bombardment Group (H)Division:
15th Air ForceAction Date:
April 4, 1944
Headquarters, 15th Air Force, General Orders No 262 (April 22, 1944)The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Colonel (Air Corps) Richard William Fellows (AFSN: FR-1334/ASN: 0-20655), United States Army Air Forces, for gallantry in action while serving as Pilot of a B-24 Liberator Bomber and as Commanding Officer of the 376th Bombardment Group, FIFTEENTH Air Force, in action on 4 April 1944. On that date, Lieutenant Colonel Fellows was Commander of a formation of B-24 type aircraft leading a wing on a bombing mission against a vitally important enemy rail center in Rumania. Despite heavy anti-aircraft fire, he maneuvered his formation with great skill in the target area making it possible for the bombardiers to obtain a very heavy and accurate coverage of bomb bursts on the briefed target causing heavy damage and certain destruction of main tracks, a goods station, locomotive houses and freight yards. Just after the turn off the target his formation was attacked aggressively by fifty enemy fighters firing cannons, rockets and dropping aerial bombs. Lieutenant Colonel Fellows with grim determination to save his group from suffering heavy losses, using his previous combat experiences to the utmost, skillfully directed the grouping of his airplanes into a tighter and more efficient fighting formation with the result that ten enemy fighters were definitely destroyed, seven probable destroyed and four damaged for the loss of only one of our aircraft during an intense air battle of forty minute duration. By his outstanding gallantry, splendid leadership, coolness under severe battle conditions, Lieutenant Colonel Fellows has reflected great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States of America.
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Distinguished Flying Cross
Service:
United States Army Air ForcesRank:
Lieutenant Colonel (Air Corps)Regiment:
376th Bombardment GroupDivision:
15th Air ForceAction Date:
February 23, 1944
Headquarters, 15th Air Force, General Orders No. 156 (March 30, 1944)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 Lieutenant Colonel (Air Corps) Richard William Fellows (AFSN: FR-1334/ASN: 0-20655), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight while serving as Commanding Officer, 376th Bombardment Group, FIFTEENTH Air Force, during World War II. On 23 February 1944, Lieutenant Colonel Fellows while flying as Group Leader took off with a formation of B-24 bombers, despite extremely severe weather condition that even made assembly over the home airdrome dangerous and difficult, on a highly vital mission to attack and destroy an enemy aircraft engine factory located in northern Austria. Arriving on a rendezvous where his formation was to be augmented by additional flights, he found no other bombers to join and form the wave for the attack. Well aware that other groups must have failed to rendezvous because of the existing hazardous weather and that his force was now numerically inferior, he nevertheless continued on to the target and to the attack. Ten minutes before reaching the target, the entire formation was attacked by approximately eighty enemy fighters, some which were firing rockets and others attacking aggressively coming within one-hundred and fifty yards of the formation. Despite this severe opposition which continued for over twenty minutes, he led the formation into the attack where the bombs were dropped with deadly accuracy on the target. By his superior leadership, cool judgment and initiative, Lieutenant Colonel Fellows brought his mission to a successful completion despite extremely hazardous weather, severe enemy opposition and inferiority in airplane strength, thereby reflecting great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States of America.