Navy Federal Credit Union

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Air Force) (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant John Morse, Jr. (AFSN: AO-946946), United States Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving as Pilot of an F-84 Thunderjet Fighter of the 111th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 136th Fighter-Bomber Group, FIFTH Air Force, in action against enemy forces near Sinanju, Korea on 17 November 1951. As flight leader of four F-84 aircraft, Lieutenant Morse was briefed to find and destroy two locomotives north of Sinanju. Due to restricted visibility in the area, he ordered his flight to orbit at a safe altitude while he reconnoitered the area at low level. Exposing himself to intense ground fire, he sighted the two locomotives and made a successful skip-bombing attack, destroying one and damaging the other. Although his aircraft sustained direct hits on his first pass, Lieutenant Morse returned to attack the damaged locomotive in the face of intense and accurate ground fire from heavy and automatic weapons. Through Lieutenant Morse’s superior airmanship and aggressiveness, this highly important and hazardous mission was successfully completed. Through his extraordinary heroism, courage and unselfish devotion to duty, First Lieutenant Morse reflected great credit upon himself, the Far East Air Forces and the United States Air Force.

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