VMF-251 had seen fit to award three members decorations directly for their actions during Frame 1 of the Aleutians Campaign, for an incident that occurred late while survivors of the attack on Dutch Harbor were returning to base.
MEF4UD, CpMorgan, and Drazz, each flying a D3A Val dive bomber, were returning to C26. Both Drazz and MEF4UD had suffered damage, while Morgan's aircraft was intact. On two occasions, the three aircraft encountered a pair of P-40s. The first encounter ended without any shots fired, and the P-40s were making their own egress. However the second pair of enemy fighters chose to engage the D3As.
Despite damage to his own aircraft, MEF4UD resolved to hold off the enemy long enough for Drazz's crippled bomber to escape. MEF4UD and CpMorgan turned into the attack, and despite the advantage in type of the enemy aircraft engaged the P-40s long enough for Drazz to withdraw. The two Vals managed to score multiple hits on the enemy fighters and had the Vals carried the heavier 12.7mm machine guns rather than the 7.7s may have caused sufficient damage to destroy or damage the enemy. Both MEF4UD and Morgan were awarded by their squadmates with the Distinguished Flying Cross for their sacrifice on behalf of a comrade.
Drazz was also awarded the DFC for his actions during the frame, and skillfully piloting his damaged aircraft home, landing safely aboard C26 very low on fuel.
