The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Major (Air Corps) Herschel Harper Green (ASN: 0-659696), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight while serving as Pilot of a P-47 Fighter Airplane in the 317th Fighter Squadron, 325th Fighter Group, FIFTEENTH Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. Major Green led eighteen P-47’s of his Fighter Squadron on a bomber escort mission over Padus, Italy, on 11 March 1944. While proceeding over the target area the rear group of bombers was attacked by approximately sixty enemy fighters forcing an escorting section of P-47’s to call for assistance. Major Green immediately turned to help and against overwhelming odds engaged in battle. During the encounter which followed, Major Green’s plane suffered serious damage but he, nevertheless, succeeded in destroying one of the attackers. Major Green’s leadership and aggressiveness in combat enabled the escorting P-47’s to intercept and effectively disperse a superior number of enemy fighters, thereby making it possible for the bombers to successfully destroy their objective. Major Green has participated in forty-five combat missions and has destroyed a total of ten enemy aircraft. His combat spirit and able leadership has reflected great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States of America.