Awards and Decorations, Group Diary Medals Lists
306th Bomb Group--Thurleigh, England
GROUP DIARY MEDALS LISTS: These are lists of names (one per line) and awards. Medals and decorations awarded to 306th Bombardment Group personnel over the course of the war numbered in the thousands. Aircrew's accumulated the greatest number of medals due to the nature of what they did, but ground crew and other support personnel also earned many medals for meritorious service and bravery. The two most commonly awarded medals were the Air Medal (AM), given for completion of six combat missions, and the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) awarded for a particularly distinguished action in aerial combat. The DFC was also awarded during the earlier part of the war when a man completed his required number of missions (25, 30, or 35). Of course the Purple Heart (PH) was awarded to any man wounded or killed in combat. When a man earned a second award of a particular medal, he would be given an Oak Leaf Cluster (OLC) to signify the additional medals. A man completing 18 combat missions would therefore be awarded an Air Medal with two OLC's. Each month when the 306th Group Diary was completed, a list of awards and decorations that were presented that month was attached to the diary as part of the record.