"Sergeant RAYMOND L. SCHWARTZ, 60th Bomb Squadron, 39th Bomb Group, Air Corps, United States Army. For heroism on an island in the Marianans of 19 May 1945, Sergeant Schwartz was the Radio Operator on a B-29 aircraft that crashed and burned on attempting a forced landing. The plane burst into flames immediately upon impact with the ground; the fires enveloping three-wing tanks of high-octane gasoline. Shortly thereafter the gasoline that had spilled onto the ground along the length of the airplane caught fire, forming a wall of flame around the aircraft. Badly shaken up and dazed, Sergeant Schwartz climbed out through the astrodome. Although he saw the flame mounting higher and was aware that the plane was likely to explode any minute, he went back to free a member who was caught in the meshes of a parachute harness. He saw next a passenger who was hanging face down from a window and unable to free himself. Immediately, Sgt Schwartz ran to the man, released his foot and allowed him to escape. Not until then did he leave the burning aircraft, only to discover that the Airplane Commander had not yet escaped. Despite the imminence of the plane's exploding and the warnings to stay away, he voluntarily returned to the burning aircraft and aided in getting the Airplane Commander out. Sgt. Schwartz's outstanding and courageous actions reflect great credit on himself and the Army Air Forces"
BY ORDER OF LIEUTEANT GENERAL TWINING
R. K. Taylor
Colonel, Air Corps
Chief Of Staff
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