During Operation Protea , at the battle of Xangongo , Captain Danie Laubscher of 42 Squadron was awarded the Honoris Crux decoration for bravery . Battle Group 20 's attack on Xangongo was held up by ZU-23-2 AA guns . Two attacks by Dassault Mirage aircraft failed to destroy the site and a third attack by artillery was not successful either . Captain Laubscher 's smoke rockets had failed to narrow the Mirages ' attack so he decided to attempt a direct hit with smoke rockets to accurately mark the target for the Mirages . He dive bombed the target firing one smoke rocket directly into the gun position but the Mirages were out of ordnance and fuel . The ground attack had resumed by this time without any enemy ZU-23-2 fire . It was later found that his smoke rocket had hit the operator of the gun
Honoris Crux
Honoris Crux (1975)
42 Squadron SAAF