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Contact Info
Home Town Jamestown, North Dakota
Date of Passing Apr 28, 1986
Location of Interment Golden Gate National Cemetery (VA) - San Bruno, California
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Colonel (Air Corps) Donald Arthur Baccus (ASN: 0-406504), United States Army Air Forces, for gallantry in action as Pilot of a Fighter Airplane and Commanding Officer of the 356th Fighter Group, EIGHTH Air Force, in action while leading a Fighter Group escorting heavy bombers over Germany, on 26 November 1944. A few minutes after making rendezvous, enemy aircraft were reported in the vicinity and Colonel Baccus, with his Group, set up a vigilant patrol. Observing a large number of fighters preparing to attack, he skillfully positioned his squadrons between the enemy and the bombers. Then, leading a Flight, he launched a daring assault against approximately twenty-five (25) ME-109's. During the ensuing battle, he became separated from the Group but was successful in destroying two (2) enemy fighters before breaking off the attack. Still alone and low on ammunition, he rejoined the bombers, and finding them unescorted, went over the target with them and escorted them back to the coast. The fact that during this action, his Group destroyed twenty-three (23), probably destroyed one (1) and damaged nine (9) aircraft is a tribute to Colonel Baccus' peerless leadership and unsurpassed combat skill.
General Orders: Headquarters, 8th Air Force, General Orders No. 66 (May 8, 1945)
WWII - European Theater of Operations/Northern France Campaign (1944)
From Month/Year
July / 1944
To Month/Year
September / 1944
Description (Northern France Campaign 25 July to 14 September 1944) Bombardment along a five-mile stretch of the German line enabled the Allies to break through on 25 July. While some armored forces drove southward into Brittany, others fanned out to the east and, overcoming a desperate counterattack, executed a pincers movement that trapped many Germans in a pocket at Falaise. The enemy fell back on the Siegfried Line, and by mid-September 1944 nearly all of France had been liberated. During these operations in France, while light and medium bombers and fighter-bomber aircraft of Ninth Air Force had been engaged in close support and interdictory operations, Eighth and Fifteenth Air Forces had continued their strategic bombing.