The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant, Junior Grade Richard C. Purdum, United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight in the Solomon Islands area, in September and October 1942. While attacking four destroyers, as a Pilot of Scouting Squadron THREE (VS-3), Lieutenant, Junior Grade Purdum and his group of six dive-bombers scored a direct hit on one of the vessels, probably sinking it. He displayed outstanding airmanship in subsequent flights against a total of 30 enemy vessels.