The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-05-17

Eugene EDWARD founBs, %, son
OF Mr.. and Mrs. Leo Youngs, OF 5565
futile Hill Rd., Ypsilanti, won his
Navy Wings OF Gold" and was com
missioned a Second Lieutenant in
the Marine Corps Reserve this week
following completion OF the pre-
scribed flight training course al the
Naval Air Training Center, Pensa-
cola. Fla, the Annapolis Of the
Air" Having been designated a
Naval Aviator, Lieutenant Ioungs
will 20 on active duty at one OF the
Nays air operational training cen
tiers before being assigned 10 a com.
bat zone.
In recognition OF outstanding
achievement as pilot OF fighter
plane, First Lieut.. Phillip c De-
Long, son OF Mrs Georgia Cunliffe
belong, SIG Emmett St, has been
awarded the Distinguished Flying
Cross. presented by Brig. Gen. Field
Harris at ceremony at a South
Pacific Base. Lieut.. DeLong. mem
Der OF a fighter squadron, Is high
man in his squadron in number OF
Jap planes destroyed, with twelve
sure and one probable. scoring these
in less than IS weeks OF combat in
the South Pacific area. The special
award is for his action during the
successful Green Island invasion.
At the opening OF the offensive a
japanese Bomber squadron tried a
dive bomb attack on American shiI +,
unloading vital war cargoes on the
beach. Lieut.. DeLong, flying alone.
dived into the midst OF the Jap
bombing crew, shot three down in
flames and drove off the rest with
out their dropping a bomb. Most
outstanding aerial feat OF the lieu
tenant was volunteer strafing
mission against heavily fortified
Poporang in the Shorthand Island
group. his devastating attack
catching the Japs flatfooted. Before
turning home he disabled severa!
large calibre guns and strafed per-
sonnet on the ground He made an
other successful strafing run on
Jap supply lines on the Bougain-
vile coast and took part in invasion
OF Treasury Island and Bougain-
Vile. His first enemy contact was
Jan. 9 on his second tour OF duty,
when he shot down two Zeros in
flames at Rabaul. Eight days later,
as fighter escort OF Marine dive
bombers. he shot down two more
Zeros. over Tobera Field six days
later he shot down a fifth Zero
and split a kill" with Major II.
NJ Elliott, Cheyenne, Wyo His
sixth Zero also came over Tobera
and after two days rest he scored
mis- seventh Zero in a dogfight over
Ra baul where his eighth was gained
Four days later he damaged a Jap
plane over the Solomons. Less than
a week before the end OF his second
tour he shot down his ninth Jap
plane and during his last day he
shot down three Jap bombers seek
ing TO dive bomb American ship
ping at Green Island. His logbook
shows AS combat hours and As
combat missions. Arriving at an ad.
vanced South Pacific airbase for
his third tour he found the skies
over Rabaul free from enemy planes
and has been on routine patrols
and escort missions since. His cita.
tions tell OF his ferocious attack on
the dive bombers. although risking
destruction from the American anti
aircraft. He destroyed three planes
and dispersed the rest with no re.
gard for his personal safety. His
gallant and intrepid actions were
in keeping with the highest tradi.
tons OF the L s. Naval Service. "
reads the award.
Ypsilanti young women who have
enlisted in the women's branches
OF the armed service are: Clara
Moore in the Marines; Beatrice
Neeley in the WACs, and Garnet
Block in the WAVES.
Cant and Mrs I Yates Knnnedy