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) Ira F. Wintermute, United States Army Air Forces, for heroism while participating in aerial flight in action against the enemy in the Aleutian Islands Area, 19 June 1942 to 10 August 1942. Returning from his first attack on Kiska Harbor he was forced to land in the icy waters of the North Pacific Ocean. His airplane sank with two members of his crew, while he, with the remainder of his crew floating on rubber rafts were rescued eighteen hours later. Again on 10 August 1942, while withdrawing from the target area of Kiska Harbor the left wing was struck by anti-aircraft fire. A few seconds later he was attacked by six fighter aircraft firing explosive cannon ammunition which punctured the fuel tank causing gasoline to spill over a wide section of one wing, which gave off profuse smoke, but did not ignite due to lack of combustible atmosphere at his altitude. Captain Wintermute ordered the bomb bay doors opened and that the crew stand on the catwalk prepared to abandon ship. Meanwhile he headed for the nearest island, losing altitude rapidly. At 15,000 feet the left wing burst into flames and when over the island he cut the throttles and ordered his crew to jump. The aircraft fell into a spin and Captain Wintermute was thrown out of his seat and through the bomb bay, striking his head and becoming unconscious. He regained consciousness, falling beside the aircraft, pulled the rip cord and parachuted to safety on Semisopochnoi Island where he and the surviving members of his crew were later rescued. His coolness and courage under fire and his leadership in dire emergency, as well as his disregard for his own personal safety, resulting in saving of other lives, reflects great credit upon himself and upholds the highest traditions of the Military Service of the United States.