For extraordinary achievement while aerial flight, 26 June 1945, from a base in the Marianas Islands. Then First Lieutenant, Spaulding was Airplane Commander of a B-29 aircraft in a formation strike against the Nippon Vehicle Company within the Nagoya Arsenal Complex at Nagoya, Japan. From the initial point to target, the formation met with a heavy concentration of fire from anti -aircraft batteries. Immediately following bombs away Lt. Spaulding flying the number four position in the lead element discovered that the formation leader's aircraft had been severely damaged by a series of flak hits, and was in a critical condition. Sensing the danger, to the crippling plane, Lt. Spaulding immediately maneuvered his own bomber into position to give protection to the stricken B-29. When no distress messages were heard from the damaged aircraft, Lt. Spaulding correctly concluded that the leader's communications equipment had been hit by flak. Consequently, he called the leader and informed him that he would guide him to rescue facilities that were known to be approximately one hundred miles out to sea from the target area. Lt. Spaulding, realized that the time which the damaged B-29 could maintain flight was extremely limited, and that it was imperative that the rescue unit be reached as quickly as possible. His subsequent expert flying coupled with his extensive knowledge of air-sea rescue procedures enabled him to lead the damaged airplane directly to the rescue vessel. When the crew of the crippled ship had reached the rescue vessel and had parachuted safely into the water, Lt. Spaulding circled the location of each man in the water at an altitude of three hundred feet and directed the rescue party to the men. By his knowledge, skill and airmanship, Lt. Spaulding, veteran of repeated assaults against the Japanese homeland, effectively carried out a task that reflects great credit on himself and the Army Air Forces."