Commendation for Performance

B-24 Pilot, 1st Lieutenant Emil Turek

After flying nearly three dozen combat missions with Kelley's Kobras, the 494th Bombardment Group, Turek led the 866th Squadron on bombing missions from the Yonton airfield on American-held Okinawa to targets in China and Japan and was quickly recognized for his skill at evading ground defenses. His crew placed 100% of their bombs on target on two missions within a week of the Battleship Haruna mission. That performance led to Turek's commendation just two days before he was assigned to lead the fifth squadron of the 494th's attack on the Haruna.