George C. Finck

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Air Force Cross to George C. Finck, Major, U.S. Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed force as a C-7A Aircraft Commander of the 458th Tactical Airlift Squadron, Cam Ranh Bay Air Base, Vietnam, SEVENTH Air Force, in action near Duc Lap, Republic of Vietnam, on 24 August 1968. On that date, Major Finck flew the first night combat air drop ever flown in a C-7A through a hostile environment of heavy antiaircraft and automatic weapons fire in which five other aircraft had been shot down while attempting to re-supply the camp. Despite intense ground fire and battle damage to his aircraft, Major Finck made a second pass over the embattled camp to deliver sufficient ammunition, medical supplies, and water to the beleaguered defenders who would have been overrun without this vital re-supply. Through extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of an opposing armed force, Major Finck has reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.