Briley, Scott Andrew

SILVER STAR. SCOTT A. BRILEY, O-751249, Second Lieutenant, Army Air Forces, United States Army. For gallantry in action, while flying as co-pilot of a B-17 airplane on a bombing mission over Germany, 30 January 1944. Enemy fighters made a savage attack on his aircraft, wounding the pilot and rendering him unconscious, starting three separate fires in the plane, damaging most of the control cables and setting one engine ablaze. Though the blazing aircraft went out of control and into a steep dive, losing 11,000 feet in altitude, Lieutenant Briley tenaciously clung to the controls and assisted by the pilot, returned the plane to level flight. Lieutenant Briley then aided in putting out a fire in the cockpit and directed the crew in extinguishing the other fires. Just as it seemed everything was in order, enemy fighters again attacked, trying desperately to destroy the already crippled bomber. By putting their plane into a dive, the enemy was eluded by taking advantage of cloud cover but five members of the crew, thinking the plane doomed, bailed out. Working as a perfect team, Lieutenant Briley and the pilot flew their aircraft back to England and accomplished a landing without further injury to the crew. The gallantry, determination and exceptional flying skill displayed by Lieutenant Briley inspired his fellow crewmen and materially aided in their safe return to England. Entered military service from California.

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