Levi R. Chase

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Levi R. Chase, Colonel, U.S. Air Force, for gallantry in action against an armed enemy of the United Nations as Commanding Officer, 8th Fighter Bomber Group, on 11 July 1952. Knowing that the defense of the target area consisted of fifty-two heavy guns, sixteen of which were radar controlled, sixteen four-gun batteries of automatic weapons and an undetermined amount of intense small arms fire, Colonel Chase led the 8th Fighter bomber Group on three highly successful missions into this heavily defended area at Pyongyang, Korea. Colonel Chase so effectively planned the attack and employed evasive tactics that he led one hundred and eighty-one effective combat sorties through the intense enemy barrage without major damage or the loss of a single aircraft. This series of devastating attacks completely destroyed a vital communications and ordnance manufacturing plant, and inflicted major damage on a roundhouse and a locomotive repair plant. Through his outstanding courage, leadership, and professional skill, Colonel Chase was instrumental in reducing the war potential of the enemy, and reflected great credit upon himself, the Far East Air Forces, and the United States Air Force.