Maurice C. Horgan

Colonel, U. S. Army Air Force

Silver Star

GENERAL ORDERS:
Headquarters, Allied Air Forces in the Southwest Pacific Area, General Orders No. 41 (August 26, 1942)
CITATION:
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 (Air Corps) Maurice C. Horgan (ASN: 0-395158), United States Army Air Forces, for gallantry in action while serving with the 435th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 19th Bombardment Group (Heavy), Allied Air Forces in the Southwest Pacific Area, over Buna, New Guinea, on 25 July 1942.
Captain Horgan was the pilot of a combat crew in a B-17E type aircraft which was to observe enemy movements over Buna. While carrying out this mission, the plane was attacked by fifteen Zero fighters. Before the aircraft could reach cloud cover, the enemy succeeded in making an attack from several directions. The number two engine was damaged on the first pass and in the running fight, which lasted forty-five minutes, a second engine was disabled and the plane seriously damaged from enemy fire. However, three enemy fighters were shot down by our gunners. Three of the gunners were wounded, but courageously remained at their posts during the entire action and until such time as the plane landed safely at an advanced operational base.