Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

1st Lieutenant

Unit:

3rd Pursuit Squadron, 24th Pursuit Group, U.S. Army Air Forces

Awarded on:

August 28th, 1942

Citation:
"For extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight in the Philippine Islands, on April 11 and 12, 1942. Flying a condemned and unarmed commercial airplane, at night without navigational aids and with a landing necessary for fuel enroute at an airfield possible in enemy hands, Lieutenant Gehrig successfully complete a flight from Mindanao to Corregidor, kabdubg at his destination without lights. His airplane having been damaged in landing, due to the condition of the field, he spent the ensuing day repairing the plane which was parked in an open field and subjected to continuous enemy artillery fire. Upon completing temporary repairs, he evacuated Army personnel and important military documents to Iloilo, Panay."