"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of
duty on 5 June 1944, when he led a Heavy Bombardment Group, in an attack
against defended enemy coastal positions in the vicinity of Wimereaux,
France. Approaching the target, his aircraft was hit repeatedly by
antiaircraft fire which seriously crippled the ship, killed the pilot,
and wounded several members of the crew, including Lt. Col. Vance, whose
right foot was practically severed. In spite of his injury, and with 3
engines lost to the flak, he led his formation over the target, bombing
it successfully. After applying a tourniquet to his leg with the aid of
the radar operator, Lt. Col. Vance, realizing that the ship was
approaching a stall altitude with the 1 remaining engine failing,
struggled to a semi-upright position beside the copilot and took over
control of the ship. Cutting the power and feathering the last engine he
put the aircraft in glide sufficiently steep to maintain his airspeed.
Gradually losing altitude, he at last reached the English coast,
whereupon he ordered all members of the crew to bail out as he knew they
would all safely make land. But he received a message over the
interphone system which led him to believe 1 of the crewmembers was
unable to jump due to injuries; so he made the decision to ditch the
ship in the channel, thereby giving this man a chance for life. To add
further to the danger of ditching the ship in his crippled condition,
there was a 500-pound bomb hung up in the bomb bay. Unable to climb into
the seat vacated by the copilot, since his foot, hanging on to his leg
by a few tendons, had become lodged behind the copilot's seat, he
nevertheless made a successful ditching while lying on the floor using
only aileron and elevators for control and the side window of the
cockpit for visual reference. On coming to rest in the water the
aircraft commenced to sink rapidly with Lt. Col. Vance pinned in the
cockpit by the upper turret which had crashed in during the landing. As
it was settling beneath the waves an explosion occurred which threw Lt.
Col. Vance clear of the wreckage. After clinging to a piece of floating
wreckage until he could muster enough strength to inflate his life vest
he began searching for the crewmember whom he believed to be aboard. Failing to find anyone he began swimming and was found approximately 50
minutes later by an Air-Sea Rescue craft. By his extraordinary flying
skill and gallant leadership, despite his grave injury, Lt. Col. Vance
led his formation to a successful bombing of the assigned target and
returned the crew to a point where they could bail out with safety. His
gallant and valorous decision to ditch the aircraft in order to give the
crewmember he believed to be aboard a chance for life exemplifies the
highest traditions of the U.S. Armed Forces."
From Lt.Col. Vance's Medal of Honor citation, awarded on January 4, 1945.
May you be at peace,
Brian
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