"For extraordinary heroism above and beyond the call of duty as commander
of a Catalina patrol plane in rescuing personnel of the U.S. Army 5th Air Force shot down in combat over Kavieng Harbor in the Bismarck Sea,
February 15, 1944. On air alert in the vicinity of Vitu Islands,
Lt. (then Lt. j.g.) Gordon unhesitatingly responded to a report of the
crash and flew boldly into the harbor, defying close-range fire from
enemy shore guns to make 3 separate landings in full view of the
Japanese and pick up 9 men, several of them injured. With his cumbersome
flying boat dangerously overloaded, he made a brilliant takeoff despite
heavy swells and almost total absence of wind and set a course for
base, only to receive the report of another group stranded in a rubber
life raft 600 yards from the enemy shore. Promptly turning back, he
again risked his life to set his plane down under direct fire of the
heaviest defenses of Kavieng and take aboard 6 more survivors, coolly
making his fourth dexterous takeoff with 15 rescued officers and men. By
his exceptional daring, personal valor, and incomparable airmanship
under most perilous conditions, Lieutenant Gordon prevented certain
death or capture of our airmen by the Japanese."
From Lt. Gordon's Medal of Honor citation, awarded in September of 1944.
Thank you for your service and may you be at peace,
Brian & Melonie
Painting of Gordon's bravery with his PBY, "Arkansas Traveler"
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