Duty & Valor - Military Stories of Courage and Sacrifice

US Air Force Col William Andrews: Air Force Cross Recipient Desert Storm

Air Force Cross Citation:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Section 8742, Title 10, United States Code, awards the Air Force Cross to Captain William F. Andrews for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against the armed forces of the Republic of Iraq approximately 30 miles northwest of Basra, Iraq, on 27 February 1991. On that date, while leading an F-16 flight against heavily defended armor and mechanized forces, Captain Andrews' F-16 suffered major damage from enemy air defenses forcing him to eject in enemy territory. While in the parachute descent, he made contact with his flight using his survival radio and, despite being fired upon by enemy forces while in the parachute descent, provided an area description and direction to his flight. After landing, at which point he broke his leg, Captain Andrews made numerous threat calls and directed members of his flight to execute to a break turn and to initiate decoy flares in response to surface-to-air missile launches. Shortly thereafter he was in radio contact with NAIL 51, and OA-10 in the area, and twice directed the pilot to break and expend decoy flares when he saw missile launches. In both cases, the pilots indicated that they would have suffered direct hits from enemy infrared seeking missiles had Captain Andrews not made the threat calls from the ground. Captain Andrews provided hit support despite the fact that he had just suffered a broken leg and could not move, was exposed to the open, and was being fired upon by enemy forces. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of the enemy, Captain Andrews reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

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