Frank Rauschkolb

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Frank Rauschkolb, First Lieutenant (Air Corps), U.S. Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a PBY Rescue Airplane of the 2d Emergency Rescue Squadron (PBY), 5230th Composite Rescue Group, THIRTEENTH Air Force, in action against enemy Japanese forces on 4 March 1945, off Zamboanga, Mindanao, Philippine Islands. Lieutenant Rauschkolb, Pilot of a Catalina type rescue plane, landed near the enemy-held shore to pick up the crew of an American bomber forced down at sea. Sighting the survivors on a raft exposed to fire from five enemy barges armed with 20-mm. and 50 caliber guns, he calmly carried out the rescue while strafing bombers held off the hostile vessels. Then, learning that another bomber had crashed five hundred yards off shore, he taxied to the position under intense fire took the crew aboard. Although the plane was then being flooded through leaks caused by enemy hits, he taxied toward a third bomber which had been forced down, and picked up its crew. By this time the after hatches were flooded with two feet of water and the overloading of the plane made it necessary to jettison all of the ammunition and four hundred gallons of gasoline. After three attempts had been made to take off, the damaged and overloaded plane was finally airborne, and returned safely with the survivors. Lieutenant Rauschkolb’s coolness and outstanding heroism in carrying out a large scale rescue under enemy fire were directly responsible for saving the lives of seventeen American flyers. The personal courage and devotion to duty displayed by First Lieutenant Rauschkolb on this occasion have upheld the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the 13th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.