- SURNAME
Lielmanis
- FORENAME
Atis Karlis
- UNIT
Air Commando Special Operations Squadron
- RANK
First Lieutenant (navigator)
- NUMBER
0-3102782
- AWARD
Air Force Cross
- PLACE
South Vietnam 1963
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
KIA - see Roll of Honour
ROLL OF HONOUR:
https://www.specialforcesroh.com/index.php?threads/lielmanis-atis-karlis.5959/CITATION:
Air Force Cross : The President of the United States of America, authorized by Title 10, Section 8742, United States Code, takes pride in presenting the Air Force Cross (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant Atis Karlis Lielmanis (AFSN: 0-3102782), United States Air Force (Reserve), for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force as an Advisor-Navigator of a B-26B aircraft in the 1st Air Commando Squadron, 34th Tactical Group, Bien Hoa Air Base, Vietnam, in action on 24 November 1963 in the Republic of Vietnam. On that date, Lieutenant Lielmanis voluntarily exposed himself during a low level flight over hidden Viet Cong machine gun installations. Their fire badly damaged the aircraft, and it crashed, but this revealed the Viet Cong positions and resulted in their destruction by cover aircraft. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of hostile forces, First Lieutenant Lielmanis reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.
WEB LINKS:
https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/3470
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