The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Lieutenant (Air Corps) Byron H. Gilmore (ASN: 0-421593), United States Army Air Forces, for gallantry in action against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a Fighter Airplane of the FOURTEENTH Air Force, in aerial operations in the China-Burma-India Theater of Operations, on April 28, 1943. First Lieutenant Gilmore was flying alone over a South China base on a mission to attempt interception of one Japanese reconnaissance airplane. Despite poor conditions of visibility, he spotted a formation of 21 Japanese bombers and approximately the same number of enemy fighters. He immediately radioed the location of the enemy formation to our other forces. Then, with complete disregard of personal safety, Lieutenant Gilmore attacked the formation of bombers, flying through complete formations of fighters to do so. His attack caused the majority of bombers to drop their bombs short of the intended target, thus saving many lives and much property. He was closely attacked by at least one Japanese Zero, but managed to elude the enemy, and later attacked two more Zero’s himself. Lieutenant Gilmore’s action against such a force was beyond the normal call of duty and reflects great credit upon himself and the United States Army Air Forces.