Typed on verso: "FNAW-2200. Vella Lavella. 20, November 43. Photog: TSgt. D. White. Decoration of Marine Flyers in the South Pacific is often as informal as pictured here. These fighter pilots, at the end of a day's fights against the enemy, line up by a revetment to be decorated by their skipper. In the background is a Corsair fighter plane. Photo shows, left to right: 1st Lt. Robert E. Clark reading the citations, Major Robert G. Owens, Jr., Major James L. Neffus, Lt. Col. Herbert H. Williamson, 1st Lt. Lincoln F. Deetz (Gold Star). 1st Lt. Bennie P. O'Dell (Air Medal), 1st Lt. David A. Moak (Air Medal), Capt. Don Aldrich (Purple Heart), 1st Lt. Drury E. McCall (Air Medal), 1st Lt. Robert M. Hanson (Air Medal), 1st Lt. Thomas M. Tomlinson (Air Medal), 1st Lt. Otto K. Williams (Air Medal), and 1st Lt. Grafton S. Stridger (Purple Heart). Defense Dept. Photo (Marine Corps). Rwm 68310."Creation Date1943-11-20SubjectWorld War, 1939-1945United States. Marine CorpsVought F4U Corsair FamilyAir pilots, MilitaryMilitary decorationsWilliams, O. Keith (Otto Keith), 1918-2007PlaceSolomon IslandsOriginal Formatphotographic printsBibliographic CitationThe O. Keith Williams VMF-214 "Black Sheep Squadron" Photographs/The Museum of FlightRightsNo copyright - United States
United States. Marine Corps, [Marine Corps pilots at decoration ceremony], [2002-04-18_image_005]. Museum of Flight Digital Collections, accessed 19/01/2026, https://digitalcollections.museumofflight.org/nodes/view/7866