World War II Honoree

David Ardin Goss

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Baltimore, Maryland

Honored By

Grateful Vietnam Veteran

SERVED AS AN ARMORER AT EARLS COLNE AIRFIELD, ESSEX, ENGLAND. CITED FOR HEROISM FOR DEMONSTRATING EXCEPTIONAL COOLNESS IN A TRYING SITUATION WHEN AN AIRPLANE WAS FORCED TO CRASH LAND AT HIS BASE. THE PILOT OF THE ARMED PLANE WAS TRYING TO CARRY THE UNCONSCIOUS CO-PILOT AWAY FROM THE INEVITABLE EXPLOSION OF THE AIRPLANE. TEN FEET FROM THE BURNING PLANE, THE PILOT FELL TO THE GROUND EXHAUSTED. AT THIS POINT, HE PICKED UP THE UNCONSCIOUS CO-PILOT, CARRIED HIM OFF AND ALLOWED THE PILOT TO ESCAPE TOO. A FEW SECONDS LATER, THE GASOLINE TANKS EXPLODED SENDING A DELUGE OF BURNING FLUID IN ALL DIRECTIONS. THE SPONTANEOUS HEROISM UNDOUBTEDLY SAVED THE LIFE OF ONE MAN AND PERHAPS TWO. THE COMPLETE DISREGARD FOR PERSONAL SAFETY REFLECTS THE HIGHEST IDEALS OF THE ARMY AIR FORCES. HEADQUARTERS IX BOMBER COMMAND, GO NO. 66, DECEMBER 2, 1943. SOLDIER'S MEDAL.