Richard A. Baldwin

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain [then First Lieutenant] Richard A. Baldwin, United States Air Force, for extraordinary courage and gallantry in action on 21 May 1951, as flight leader of four F-80 type aircraft in aerial combat against the enemy on a pre-briefed close support mission to the Kyebang-san sector in Korea. Departing from an air base in Japan in extremely adverse weather conditions, he led his flight into the target area flying heading, time and distance, making an instrument let-down without radio aids, and breaking his flight out of the low overcast in a corridor of extremely mountainous terrain. He quickly oriented himself and made contact with a Tactical Controller who gave the flight a target of an estimated two battalions of enemy troops that were pinning down a force of friendly troops. The enemy was defending their positions with heavy anti-aircraft guns and numerous automatic weapons while their infantry was forcing its way up a steep draw towards the United Nations troops. Due to rain showers which reduced the visibility to less than one half mile, and the low ceiling that obscured the mountains on all sides, a normal attacking pass on the target was impossible. Although the Tactical Control aircraft aborted the mission and left the area because of the low ceiling and visibility, Captain Baldwin continued his attack against the enemy, and in the face of the heavy ground fire made repeated napalm runs and fifty caliber machine gun strafing passes. At the end of each pass it was necessary to put the flight into a tight string formation and to make a standard instrument procedure turn in the overcast. Captain Baldwin so effectively engaged the enemy that friendly ground forces later counted seven hundred enemy troops killed, large quantities of supplies and equipment destroyed. The courage and skillful leadership displayed by Captain Baldwin were in keeping with the highest traditions of the service and reflected great credit upon himself, the Far East Air Forces, and the United States Air Force.