Captain Harold E. Sawyer, of the 301st Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group, the famed “Tuskegee Airmen”, is awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight against the enemy while escorting bombers in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. Through numerous long and hazardous combat missions against vital strategic targets deep in enemy occupied territory, Captain Sawyer displayed outstanding courage, aggressiveness and devotion to duty throughout all engagements. Braving enemy anti-aircraft fire, often adverse weather conditions and enemy fighter aircraft, Captain Sawyer contributed materially to the destruction of vital enemy installations and supplies. On July 12, 1944, Captain Sawyer engaged a German Focke-Wulf (FW 190), shooting it out of the sky. Later, on July 25, 1944, he again encountered an enemy aircraft, destroying a German Messerschmitt (ME 109) in air-to-air combat. Captain Sawyer’s actions under challenging conditions and against often overwhelming odds were extremely valuable to the success of the Allied combat operations and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.
By command of Major General Twining
July 25, 1944
Harold E. Sawyer entered the service from Columbus, Ohio