The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain (Air Corps) William Douglas Dunham (ASN: 0-432289), United States Army Air Forces, for gallantry in action against the enemy as a P-47 Fighter Pilot of the 460th Fighter Squadron, 348th Fighter Group, FIFTH Air Force, in action over Arawe, New Britain, on 21 December 1943. This officer was a flight leader in a formation of seven P-47’s patrolling over Allied shipping. By cleverly faking radio messages, the enemy lured the fighters out of position, but when the ships called for help, Captain Dunham, disregarding the possibility of attacks from above, led a determined diving attack on a formation of twenty-two dive bombers. In the next few minutes, he destroyed three Japanese planes. Approaching from the rear, he shot down the first aircraft in flames; he then pressed an attack to such close range on a second one that it crashed while resorting to violent evasive action; the third hostile bomber plunged to the earth after Captain Dunham closed behind it to a range of twenty-five feet and raked it with a sustained burst. He followed this with attacks on three other hostile aircraft, but was unable to destroy them, as five of his guns had jammed. Captain Dunham’s gallantry and complete disregard for his personal safety in his determination to engage the enemy are in keeping with the finest traditions of the Military Service.