Evening star., 1945-03-27
-Four District CoIoneIs
GET Merit Awards
For Work With AAF

WI AStu 'WOu NJ
For Work With AAF
Legion of Merit awards to -four
cir forces colonels of Washington
and vicinity, were announced today
at the War Department. Three AAF
general officers received similar
awards.
Col. James H. Higgs, of 4444 Lin
nean avenue NV, was decorated for
services with the Army Air Forces
Western Flying Training Command
from April 4, 1912, to July 22, 1943.
During this period he served as
staff public relations officer, and
later as commanding officer of Fort
Sumner Army Air Field, Stockton
Field and Hobbs Army Air Field
His command of Stockton Field
was marked by unusual attainments
in the diversion of the station from
an advanced to basic pilot school,
the citation said
Col. Morris J. Lee, of 2222 @ street
NV, performed outstanding duties
in the Operations Division, War De-
partment General Staff, from Au-
gust, 1942, to September, 1914. He
was air officer of the European
North African section and later of
the separate North African section.
AS air officer, he handled matters
for the Operations Division during
the North African and Sicilian cam
palgns, the Italian campaigns until
the Gothlic Line was penetrated in
September, 1874; the invasion of
Southern France and the Allied
campaigns in the Balkans.
Col. Walter NJ. Tisdale of 1853 Sew
enteenth street north, Arlington, Va,
was recognized for services rendered
from July Is, 1912, to January %,
1945, with the Army Air Forces. He
was, respectively, division chief of
the Field Service Branch in the Air
Ordnance Office and then chief of
that branch at AAF headquarters.
Col. John M. Weikert of 1903 r
street NV, was largely responsible
for the development of aviation
training at the United States Mill
tary Academy, from September 8,
1889, to June 3, 1913. He introduced
military flying at the West Point
Academy and carried it through to
see the first two classes graduated
as rated pilots. He developed Stew
art Field from small auxiliary
landing field.
His accomplishments enabled the
Military Academy to give the rapidly
expanding Air Forces the benefits of
West Point training for many of
her future leaders" the citation said.
Legion of Merit awards also were
announced for the following three
generals:
Brig. Gen. Francis H. Griswold of
Harrodsburg, KY, chief of the
Fighter Section, Directorate of Air
Defense, AAF headquarters. from
March 9, 1912, to July 80, 1943, "He
was a leading exponent of the reduc-
tion of extraneous weight in fighter
aircraft for increased performance
and of increased range for bomber
escort" the citation stated.
Brig. Gen. Paul c. wilkins of Kelly
Field, San Antonio. From May, 1941,
to March, 1914, he pioneered the
rapidly expanding Air Corps sub
depot system. First as depot COM
mander and later as area command
er for the San Antonio Air Service
Command, he conducted huge supply
activities and the training of Air
Service Command troops.
Brig. Gen. Albert F. Hegenberger
of Colorado Springs, was decorated
for services as commander of the
2lst Bombardment Wing (no date
given, He developed production
line" system for processing combat
crews and aircraft for movement
overseas. This system has been
adopted throughout the I'd Air
Force and the entire Army Air
Forces in Continental United
States" the citation said.
1t. Col. Harry G. Woodbury. of
BAIT Porter street NV, has been
awarded the Silver Star for gal
lantry in action aboard a Navy
cruiser on December 13, 1914" by
1t. Gen. Walter Kruger, COM
mander of the 9Th Army, now in
the Philippines.
The citation said Col. Woodbury.
was a passenger on a Navy cruiser
when u was subjected to heavy
Japanese air attack The statement
said that Col Woodbury., without
regard for his own safety but with
the desire to save the seriously
wounded from the flames and fly
ing fragments, made several trips
to the flaming afterdeck to drag
wounded to safety under a heavy
hail Of exploding ammunition.
His wije, Mrs. Pattie r. Wood
bury, lives at the Porter street ad-
dress.
Pfc. Raymond E. Daily, 81, of
1920 Fort Davis street Sc, received
the Silver Star for gallantry in ac-
ton, his parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Raymond F. Daily, have been noti-
fed by the War Department. Pvt.
Daily and three other members of
his infantry unit volunteered last
September in France to undertake a
particularly dangerous mission, the
citation related. With the others
Pvt. Daily stormed a stronghold of
the enemy which was being held by
q well-armed group of rs enemy SOL
diers, They fired until their am
munition was exhausted, then seized
enemy weapons and dislodged the
group.
Pvt. Daily is a native of WASH
lngton and attended st. Johns COL
lege. He entered the Army March
4, 1943, and was overseas four