"For extraordinary heroism above and beyond the call of duty as commander of a Catalina patrol plane in rescuing personnel of the U.S. Army 5th Air Force shot down in combat over Kavieng Harbor in the Bismarck Sea, 15 February 1944. On air alert in the vicinity of Vitu Islands, Lt. (then Lt. j.g.) Gordon unhesitatingly responded to a report of the crash and flew boldly into the harbor, defying close-range fire from enemy shore guns to make 3 separate landings in full view of the Japanese and pick up 9 men, several of them injured. With his cumbersome flying boat dangerously overloaded, he made a brilliant takeoff despite heavy swells and almost total absence of wind and set a course for base, only to receive the report of another group stranded in a rubber life raft 600 yards from the enemy shore. Promptly turning back, he again risked his life to set his plane down under direct fire of the heaviest defenses of Kavieng and take aboard 6 more survivors, coolly making his fourth dexterous takeoff with 15 rescued officers and men. By his exceptional daring, personal valor, and incomparable airmanship under most perilous conditions, Lt. Gordon prevented certain death or capture of our airmen by the Japanese."

Gordon's Medal of Honor is displayed at the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History. A ceremony will be held at the museum at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, July 26, to unveil plans for a comprehensive permanent exhibit dedicated to Arkansas’ recipients that will open in 2007.

“We are humbled to have these important medals here,” said Stephan McAteer, executive director of the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History. “The actions of selfless sacrifice these medals represent, along with those of the other Arkansans who’ve been recognized for similar acts of valor should and will be retold here.”  McAteer added, “We are hopeful the public can help us obtain additional information, photos or personal memorabilia related to the military service of other Arkansas recipients of the Medal of Honor as we more fully develop this exhibit.” 
 
As the cornerstones of the new exhibit, three medals of honor, Gordon's from WWII, and one from Korea and Vietnam are displayed together. Gordon’s medal is on private loan. Gordon and Bacon, the only living Arkansas Medal of Honor recipients.
 
The MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, a program of Little Rock Parks and Recreation, was created to preserve and interpret the state's military heritage from its territorial period to the present day. The museum preserves the contributions of Arkansas men and women who have served both in peacetime and in war.