The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain William I. Armagost (MCSN: 0-30516), United States Marine Corps, for heroism while participating in aerial flight against the enemy as a member of a Marine Fighter Squadron in Korea. On 5 March 1953, Captain Armagost served as a section leader in a flight of Marine jet fighter-bomber aircraft on a close air support mission in the vicinity of Poekhyon-ni. Working in proximity to friendly front line positions in extremely mountainous terrain, he made a daring low-level napalm attack through intense automatic weapons and small arms fire and scored a direct hit on enemy positions. During the recovery, his aircraft was hit twice by enemy fire with one projectile exploding in the cockpit wounding him in the right leg. Despite the loss of the aircraft’s hydraulic system, radio, and one control cable, he flew his aircraft deep into enemy territory to release the remainder of his ordnance lead to avoid endangering friendly forces. Applying a tourniquet to his wounded leg, he calmly proceeded to the nearest friendly airfield where although weak from loss of blood he so skillfully handled his aircraft that he effected an emergency landing without further damaging the aircraft. Captain Armagost’s heroic actions, while suffering painful injuries, saved friendly forces from being exposed to the danger of his bomb load and were responsible for the saving of his aircraft from destruction. His courageous conduct, exceptional initiative and steadfast devotion to duty reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.