The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Second Gold Star in lieu of a Third Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain Byron H. Beswick (MCSN: 0-29003), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight against the North Korean forces on 3 September 1950, during the defense of the perimeter along the Naktong River. Captain Beswick led his section on repeated rocket and strafing runs on enemy troops along levees, in buildings, and in rice paddies, which were holding up the advance of friendly troops west of Yongsan. Captain Beswick’s section was required to make extremely low strafing runs in the face of intense small arms and anti-aircraft fire in order to observe their targets. He obtained four direct hits with five inch rockets on a large warehouse serving as a fuel storage dump, completely destroying it together with a number of adjacent buildings. As a result of the attacks, at least one hundred fifty enemy troops were killed and the survivors were forced to retreat from the area in a disorganized manner. His outstanding airmanship and aggressive actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.



