James R. Mccarthy

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Air Force Cross to James R. McCarthy, Colonel, U.S. Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed force as Airborne Mission Commander, 43rd Strategic Wing, Anderson Air Base, Guam, EIGHTH Air Force, in action near Hanoi, North Vietnam, on 26 December 1972. On that date, Colonel McCarthy commanded the largest force of B-52’s ever assembled on a long-range bombing mission over sophisticated and complex air defenses. Applying his exceptional knowledge of aerial warfare tactics and through his personal courage and technical expertise, Colonel McCarthy led this mission through intense anti-aircraft fire and heavy salvos of surface-to-air missiles to deliver the ordnance of the entire force on assigned targets accurately without sustaining a single loss. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of the enemy, Colonel McCarthy reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.