David W. Wallace

Lieutenant Colonel, U. S. Army Air Force

Silver Star

GENERAL ORDERS:
Headquarters, 10th Air Force, General Orders No. 91 (November 11, 1943)
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 Lieutenant Colonel (Air Corps) David W. Wallace (ASN: 0-22584), United States Army Air Forces, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy in the China, Burma, India Theater of Operations.
Lieutenant Colonel Wallace, Operations Officer of an Air Defense Wing, TENTH Air Force, in conjunction with Colonel John F. Egan, planned and executed below roof-top level bombing and made the first offensive missions employing this technique in this sector against heavily defended enemy installations. During the period from 28 October to 9 November 1943, Colonel Egan, flying a P-51 aircraft carrying two five-hundred pound demolition bombs, attacked the Headquarters Area at Myitkyina.
This target, a Japanese regimental headquarters, was known to be protected by ample machine guns and possibly anti-aircraft artillery. In addition, it was adjacent to two enemy airfields. So successful were these missions that on five successive occasions: 28 - 30 October, 5, 8, and 9 November, a total of five buildings were destroyed with other damage accomplished which could not be observed. On each occasion these attacks were met by ground fire from machine guns which ranged from meager to intense. The spirit evidenced by Colonel Egan has been an example of great value to the morale and confidence of the pilot personnel in this sector, and the conduct, daring and skill with which these missions were performed reflects much credit on himself and the military service.