FACSIMILE



                             HEADQUARTERS
                         XIII BOMBER COMMAND
                              APO# 719-2


                                                        8 June 1945


SUBJECT:    Commendation.

TO     :    Commanding Officer, 868th Bombardment Squadron (H).

	1. Your recent mission to Batavia has proven to be one of
the greatest operational successes in the history of the B-24
Liberator. You have stretched the effective limits of our heavy
bombers far beyond the expectations of either its designers or the
men in the Army Air Forces who have tactically employed the
airplane.  And in addition, you have added to the spendid history
of the "Snoopers" and the 13th AAF in general in striking an
important Japanese bastion hitherto untouched by any Allied force.

	2. The work accomplished by you and your staff of
operations, intelligence, armament and engineering officers in
making this mission a success is a fine example of the importance
and effectiveness of carefully detailed planning.

	3. Coordination of the night attack on Batavia itself is
outstanding testimony to your own leadership and to the teamwork
of the crews who flew with you for more than 18 hours to complete
the mission.

	4. The accomplishment of this mission, performed while
your squadron continued its normal operations, raises to the
maximum the efficiency standard of your organization; and it
provides active, practical information to all who fly the B-24
toward an improvement of Liberator activities throughout the
entire Air Force.

	5. In this one operation alone, your contribution to
the glorious history  of the Army Air Forces in this war is
worthy of my heartiest commendation.



						CARL A. BRANDT
						Colonel, Air Corps
						Commanding

                                1st Ind.		BEH/hc
     868TH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (H), APO 719, 14 June 1945.

     TO:  Officers and Enlisted Men, 868th Bombardment Squadron (H).

		It affords me great pleasure to forward this well
	earned 	commendation to you for another job well done.
	
						B. E. HARRISS
						Major, Air Corps
						Commanding