John E. Bakalar

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to John E. Bakalar (0-732120), 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 P-51 Fighter Airplane in the 353d Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group, NINTH Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on 16 August 1944, over France. On this date First Lieutenant Bakalar engaged a numerically superior force of enemy aircraft and shot down three of them. First Lieutenant Bakalar’s unquestionable valor in aerial combat is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 9th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.