2017 Superior Achievement Award

Presented to: Captain Gregory DuBose

Citation: For sustained performance in combat operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria; and assistance in the recovery of a downed B-1 crew in Montana.

Capt Gregory DuBose is responsible for split-second timing and navigation of a B-1 aircraft at airspeeds commonly exceeding Mach 1. His operations included dropping practice naval mines in the Pacific, counter drug missions in the Caribbean, power projection missions in the arctic and combat operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.

Capt DuBose flew multiple “supersonic shows of force” in support of troops in Afghanistan, performing calculations while navigating to ensure the aircraft’s speed was sufficient to produce a supersonic shockwave to dissuade the enemy on the ground. In an arctic power projection mission, Capt DuBose navigated at extreme latitudes–verifying the B-1’s navigation abilities in the arctic regions, while also supporting a wingman that had declared an inflight emergency. He flew 39 close air support and strike missions, navigating to preplanned and dynamic target areas resulting in his employment of over 470 weapons on enemy fighters and equipment, with one strike in particular that killed over 150 enemy fighters.

While on a home station training flight, Capt DuBose responded to the crash of another B-1 near Broadus, Montana. After receiving reports of an explosion, Capt DuBose and his crew reversed direction and, after spotting a smoke cloud on the horizon, navigated to a position to begin searching for the crew. Capt DuBose’s B-1 was the first air asset overhead and his crew was the first to establish communications with the downed aircrew to determine their status. Capt DuBose used an onboard targeting pod to scan the expansive crash site and passed the downed crew’s location to emergency responders.

Capt DuBose graduated from The Citadel in Charleston, SC, in 2010 where he was awarded a Navigator slot. Capt DuBose continued his flight training at Naval Air Station in Pensacola, FL. He completed B-1 training at Dyess AFB in Abilene, TX and is stationed at Ellsworth AFB, SD.