(Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: 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 Captain (Air Corps) Richard Allan Mauritson (ASN: 0-661350), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight. Between 1 May 1943 and 10 January 1944 Captain Mauritson distinguished himself as a fighter pilot in fifty combat missions totaling more than 108 hours. These missions included minimum-altitude strafing, bomber escort, low-level bombing, and interception flights over the poorly-mapped terrain and in the adverse weather of China where enemy fire was frequently encountered. On 5 December 1943 he led a flight of fighters on an interception mission, attacked in spite of three-to-one odds, and acquired one enemy fighter probable to his credit. On 12 December 1943 he scored two additional enemy aircraft damaged, and on 23 December 1943, against great odds, confirmed another enemy fighter shot down. The accomplishments reflect creditably upon his record as well as that of the Army Air Forces.