Decoration of Marine Flyers in the South Pacific

Vella Lavella Air Strip:  Second Man Standing Left is Major Robert Owens - who is now a retired Major General.

FMAW-2210
Vella Lavella
20, November '43    Photog. TSgt. D. White

Decoration of Marine Flyers in the South Pacific is often as informal as pictured here.  These fighter pilots, at the end of a day's fights against enemy, line up by a revetment to be decorated by their skipper. In the background is a Corsair fighter plane.

Photo shows - left to right: 1st Lt. Robert E. Clark reading the citations, Major Robert G. Owens, Jr., Major James L. Neefus, Lt. Col. Herbert H. Williamson, 1st Lt. Lincoln Deetz (Gold Star), 1st Lt. Bennie P. O'Dell (Air Medal), 1st Lt. David Moak (Air Medal), Capt. Don Aldrich (Purple Heart), 1st Lt. Drury McCall (Air Medal), 1st Lt. Robert M. Hanson (Air Medal) suffered burn on landing, 1st Lt. Thomas M. Tomlinson (Air Medal), 1st Lt. Otto K. Williams (Air Medal) and 1st Lt. Grafton S. Stidger (Purple Heart)

Defense Dept Photo (Marine Corps)
rwm 68310