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II. DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS. (OAK-LEAF CLUSTER) By direction of
the President, under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved 2 July 1926 (Bulletin
8, WD, 1926), a Distinguished Flying Cross is awarded by the Commanding General, Far East
Air Forces, to the following named officer:
Captain
GERARD F. WIENTJES, (0374107), Air Corps, United States Army. For
extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight over Dutch New Guinea on
31 July 1944. Captain Wientjes was the pilot of a Navy Catalina aircraft dispatched to
rescue an air crew down at a lake in enemy territory. When he arrived over the lake he
could see, from the bodies of Japanese soldiers lying about, that there had been a recent
engagement. Fully realizing the vulnerability of the Catalina to possible enemy small arms
fire, he landed without damage amid thick underwater grass, logs, and other debris and
taxied to the very edge of the shore. He arranged for the necessary protection against
probably hostile patrols and proceeded to direct the rescue of 10 men, 7 of whom were
badly wounded. All of them were put into a life raft, then brought aboard the plane. After
the crew had freed the wheels from the entangled grass and pushed the Catalina away from
the shore to prevent it from running aground, he attempted a take off but failed because
the load was excessive and the surface of the water was glassy. After all the gasoline
that could be spared was dumped off, he made a successful takeoff in semi-darkness and
brought the rescued personnel to a base where they were taken to a hospital. The
outstanding courage and devotion to duty displayed by Captain Wientjes during this flight
are in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Army Air Forces.
Read his other citations:
Distinguished
Flying Cross (2 OLC)
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