William Boyd, Jr.

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Air Force Cross to William Boyd, Jr., Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed force as a C-130 pilot of the 774th Tactical Airlift Squadron, 463d Tactical Airlift Wing, SEVENTH Air Force, in action at Kham Duc, Republic of Vietnam on 12 May 1968. On that date, Colonel Boyd flew an emergency evacuation mission into Kham Duc Airfield as it was being overrun by hostile forces. Realizing that the friendly ground forces and Vietnamese civilians remaining at Kham Duc had virtually no chance for survival except evacuation by his aircraft, Colonel Boyd, without regard for his personal safety, flew through a veritable hail of hostile fire into the besieged field and successfully evacuated more than one hundred troops and civilians. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of hostile forces, Lieutenant Colonel Boyd reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.