Douglas E. Whatley

Lieutenant Colonel Douglas E. Whatley distinguished himself by gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force at Hanoi, North Vietnam on 29 June 1966. On that date, Colonel Whatley led a flight of F-105D Thunderchief fighter-bombers in a strike against the heavily defended Hanoi petroleum products storage complex. While maneuvering for his dive bomb delivery, Colonel Whatley’s aircraft was stuck by shrapnel from an exploding antiaircraft artillery projectile, perforating his canopy and damaging his aircraft’s aft fuselage. Fully cognizant of the risk involved in executing a dive bomb maneuver in a damaged aircraft, Colonel Whatley pressed his attack, causing a large secondary explosion with his accurately delivered ordnance. By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Colonel Whatley has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.