The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Second Lieutenant James M. Bannan (MCSN: 0-50929), United States Marine Corps, for heroism while participating in aerial flight against the enemy in Korea on 15 March 1952. Second Lieutenant Bannan, serving with a Marine Observation Squadron as a pilot of a slow, unarmed, observation type aircraft was on a reconnaissance mission, when he was called upon to direct an air strike by jet type aircraft upon enemy artillery positions. Though he received an intense volume of enemy automatic weapons and small arms fire, he, with complete disregard for his safety made a low, and hazardous run over the enemy positions in order to effectively and accurately mark the target with a smoke grenade. During the air strike, he orbited continuously within range of enemy small arms fire to effectively control the air strike. Though still encountering heavy ground fire from positions in the area, he made another extremely low pass over the target to accurately assess the damage inflicted by the strike. Second Lieutenant Bannan’s initiative, coolness under fire, and devotion to duty were exemplary to all who observed him and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.