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), [then Major] Arthur Francis Jeffrey (ASN: 0-659131), United States Army Air Forces, for gallantry in action while serving as Pilot of a P-51 Mustang Fighter Airplane of the 479th Fighter Group, EIGHTH Air Force, while participating in an escort mission over Germany, 5 December 1944. Leading a Section of nine (9) P-51 fighters, Colonel Jeffrey observed a group of approximately forty (40) FW-190’s with a top cover of approximately fifteen (15) ME-109’s positioning for an attack. Heedless of the tremendous odds, he selected the low element as the most immediate threat to the bombers and launched a bold assault. During the ensuing battle the gunsight bulb burned out and two guns in the right wing ceased to function, causing the aircraft to veer off the target with each burst of machine gun fire. Despite this handicap he sent two (2) planes down in flames before the formation dispersed. Descending through a layer of clouds to four-thousand (4,000) feet, he engaged two (2) FW-190’s just as the remaining right wing gun expired. Undaunted, he maneuvered his aircraft with such dexterity that he was successful in destroying one (1) of the enemy and expended the last of his ammunition while scoring strikes on the other. The fact that during this action Colonel Jeffrey, together with his section, destroyed seven (7) enemy planes, probably destroyed one (1) and damaged two (2) others is due largely to his courage, combat skill, and gallant leadership.