The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Captain (Air Corps) Wayne Norbury Bolefahr (ASN: 0-24907), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-51 Fighter Airplane in the 368th Fighter Squadron, 359th Fighter Group, EIGHTH Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on 10 June 1944, in the European Theater of Operations. Leading a P-51 fighter section in support of four PRU airplanes, Captain Bolefahr was briefed to stay clear of the intense ground flak which had prevented, with casualties, other attempts to get low altitude pictures in the area. Discovering the enemy fire to be so intense that the PRU airplanes were repeatedly driven off their target, after 20 minutes flight in the area at tree top level, Captain Bolefahr voluntarily pulled up to 100 feet and strafed the defending gun positions, thereby flying straight into their line of fire in his determination to wipe out enough positions to permit the pictures to be taken. Warned at briefing that any such fighter intervention probably would be fatal, on the basis of previous PRU losses there, he made his strafing run with impeccable cool skill, neutralizing several guns. As a result of the action planes were able to come in and obtain the ordered pictures. Captain Bolefahr’s airplane flamed under many direct flak hits, crashed through trees, and disintegrated on the ground. His initiative in the face of overwhelming odds and his sacrificial resolution made a success of a hazardous mission. This action, an inspiration to his fellow flyers, reflects the highest credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.