COLONEL ROYCE W. PRIEST, (then Second Lieutenant), Army Air Forces, United States Army. For extraordinary heroism in action over enemy occupied Europe, 18 August 1944, while leading the second element in the lead squadron on a dive-bombing mission. When his squadron CommanderÃs airplane was hit by flak and forced down in enemy territory, Lieutenant Priest, seeing his leaderÃs plight, landed, threw out his parachute and dinghy, and took off with his Commander as passenger, both returning safely to base. The extreme courage of Lieutenant PriestÃs rescue has been an inspiration to his fellow officers and reflects highest credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.
COL Priest resided in Southern California.