2. By direction of the President, under the provisions of the Act of Congress Approved 2 July 1926 (Bull8, WD 1926), and in accordance with authority delegated by the War Department, and pursuant to authority contained in letter, file 200.6, Headquarters, United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe, Subject: Awards and Decorations, dated 8 September 1944, the following named officers, organizations and residences as indicated, are awarded the DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in glider flights during the period 17 September to 23 September 1944. These officers served as serial leaders of Troop Carrier glider formations which participated in the vertical envelopment of enemy positions in Holland, in the greatest airborne assault in military history. With heroic disdain for the hazards of intense enemy ground fire and the risk of attack from hostile aircraft intent on impeding the operation, and at times fling through weather which taxed their skill and resourcefulness to the utmost, they lead their formations or unarmed and unarmored gliders to their objectives with unerring precision. The successful deliver of airborne troops and critical combat equipment and supplies by Troops Carrier gliders in these operations, in amounts of theretofore unprecedented, may be attributed to their peerless leadership and unswerving devotion to duty and reflects the highest credit upon them and upon the Armed Forces of the United States:
434th TROOP CARRIER GROUP
82nd Troop Carrier Squadron

RICHARD B LIBBEY O389382 Capt. Hartford, Conn.
See Order

1. By direction of the President, under the provisions of Executive Order No 9158 (Bull 25, D, 1942), as amended by Executive Order No. 9242—A (Bull 49, D, 1942), and in accordance with authority delegated by the War Department, and pursuant to authority contained in paragraph 1, letter, file AG 200.6, Headquarters, Ninth air force, Subject “Award of the Air Medal”, addressed to the commanding general, IX Troop Carrier Command, dated 26 June 1944, the following named officers of the organizations indicated are awarded the air Medal, in recognition of meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flights in the European Theater of Operations during the period 16 October 1943 to 7 June 1944.

As Troop Carrier glider pilots, these officers meritoriously climaxed a most successful program of intensive, specialized training and joint maneuvers with airborne units in aerial flights by their superb performance in the initial troop Carrier phases of the invasion of the European continent.

The magnificent spirit and enthusiasm displayed by these officers, combined with skill, courage and devotion to duty is reflected in their brilliant operation of unarmed gliders of light construction at minimum altitudes and air speeds, in unfavorable weather conditions, over water, and into the face of vigorous enemy opposition, with no possibility of employing evasive action, and in their successful negotiation of hazardous landings in hostile territory, to spearhead the Allied invasion of the continent. Their respective duty assignments were performed in such an admirable manor as to produce exceptional results in the greatest and most successful airborne operation in the history of world aviation.
Hails from West Hartford, CT

2. By direction of the President, under the provisions of Executive Order Mo. 9158 (Bull 25, WD, 1942), as amended by Executive Order No. 9242-A (Bull 45, WD, 1942), and in accordance with authority delegated by the War Department, and pursuant to authority contained in letter, Headquarters, United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe, file 200.6, Subject: “Awards and Decorations”, dated 8 September 1944, the following officers, organization and residence as indicated, in addition to the Air Medals heretofore awarded them, are each awarded the BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTER indicated, for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight on 24 March 1945. These Officers, serving as pilots of troop carrier gliders, formed part of a vast glider armada which successfully delivered thousands of Allied Troops and vast quantities of combat equipment to designated objectives behind enemy lines in the greatest airborne assault in military history, the vertical envelopment of the enemy east of the Rhine. Braving concentrations of enemy ground fire, they displayed exceptional airmanship, resolution and courage in flying their un-powered craft to their specified landing zones deep into enemy occupied Germany. Their marked accomplishments form an invaluable contribution toward hastening the defeat of our enemy.
Hails from West Hartford, CT

THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE HAVING REGARD TO:
The orders of the then Minister of War dated 8 October 1945 (Sec. x 25) and 20 September 1946 (Sec. P 203), by which permission was granted to the personnel of the American 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions respectively to wear the Orange Lanyard;
CONSIDERING:
That it is also desirable that the glider pilots who took part in the airborne operations in the central and southern parts of the Netherlands should have a lasting memento of that glorious battle; DECREES:

1. That the Glider Pilots of the IXth Army Air Force Troop Carrier Command who took part in the airborne operations and in the subsequent combat actions of the American 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions in the central and southern parts of the Netherlands in the period from 17 September to 28 November 1944, be permitted to wear the Orange Lanyard.
2. This Decree shall take effect on the date of the signature The Hague, 20 April 1982 (signed) H. van Mierlo

Interrogation Check Sheets (ICS) were located by our researcher Hans den Brok, from the NL



• ICS: pdf/ics/436_82_Varsity_A10_Chalk017_LIBBEY.R.B_HOOPER.M.pdf
  MISSION: Rhine Crossing (Rhine Crossing), SERIAL: A010, CHALK #: 017,