ARTHUR L. DOWNING, then Lieutenant Junior Grade, United States Naval Reserve. For extraordinary heroism and courageous devotion to duty as pilot of an airplane of a Scouting Squadron in action against enemy Japanese forces at Tulagi Harbor on May 4, 1942, and in the Battle of the Coral Sea on May 7 and 8, 1942. These attacks, vigorously and persistently pressed home in the face of heavy anti-aircraft fire, on May 8 opposed also by enemy fighters, resulted in the sinking or damaging of at least eight enemy Japanese vessels at Tulagi and the sinking of one carrier and the sinking or severe damaging of another in the Coral Sea.

View Captain Downing’s First Gold Star.

View Captain Downing’s Second Gold Star.

CPT Downing resided in Florida.