Vincent J. Alessi

First Lieutenant Vincent J. Alessi, United States Air Force, was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action against the enemy in Korea as Navigator of a B-26 Bomber in the 13th Bombardment Squadron, FAR EAST Air Forces, on 9 January 1952. On that date, Lieutenant Alessi’s pilot flew under low overcast on an armed reconnaissance over the heavily defended supply route between the towns of Namsi and Chongju. Although he was exposed to automatic weapons fire, he pressed repeated bombing and strafing attacks until a total of ten boxcars, five warehouses and three vehicles were destroyed by fire and explosion. Turning his attention to the enemy gun positions which were firing on him, he silenced 14 anti-aircraft batteries and destroyed four by explosion. At the completion of these devastating attacks, automatic weapons fire from the remaining gun position struck the aircraft, with one shell piercing the canopy and exploding in the pilot’s face. Lieutenant Alessi assisted his pilot in safely returning the aircraft safely to base. Lieutenant Alessi’s actions reflected great credit upon himself, the Far East Air Forces, and the United States Air Force.