The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Distinguished Service Medal to Vice Admiral Alfred M. Pride (NSN: 0-41336), United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States as Commander SEVENTH Fleet from December 1953 to December 1955. Under his competent leadership, the SEVENTH Fleet was brought to a high state of combat readiness. This was superbly demonstrated in the latter months of 1954 when the SEVENTH Fleet was repeatedly under orders to prepare to support the defenders of the Tachen Islands. In February 1955, when evacuation of the Islands was required due to inability of the Chinese to provide logistic support, Vice Admiral Pride personally supervised and directed the removal of more than 15,600 civilians, 11,100 military personnel, 8.600 tons of military equipment and supplies, as well as numerous artillery pieces and vehicles within a period of eighty-five hours while his combat forces provided air and surface cover. As Commander, United States-Taiwan Defense Command, Vice Admiral Pride has been highly instrumental in the successful carrying out of United States policy in cooperation with the Government of the Republic of China for the defense of Taiwan. His inspiring leadership and courageous devotion to duty have made the SEVENTH Fleet a bulwark of strength against Communist aggression. Throughout the entire period of his service as Commander SEVENTH Fleet, Vice Admiral Price has demonstrated outstanding initiative and a magnificent display of professional competence. His distinguished service reflects great credit on himself and the United States Naval Service.

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal to Vice Admiral Alfred M. Pride (NSN: 0-41336), United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States as Commander Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, from 30 January 1958 to 1 October 1959. Vice Admiral Price received his Navy wings in 1918 and has played an illustrious role in the phenomenal evolution of naval aviation. Not only has he demonstrated cardinal leadership, skill, daring, and devotion to duty as an active flier in peace and war but, through his ingenious and inventive approach to trying problems, he has rendered invaluable service in research and development of various aviation programs such as carrier deck equipment and techniques for flight testing new aircraft prior to acceptance for the fleet. Since January 1956 as Commander Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Vice Admiral Pride has exercised operational, planning, and administrative ability of the highest caliber and has been eminently successful in carrying out his many and exacting assignments. Through his insatiable desire to provide his forces with the best possible tools of the trade and his driving and inspirational personality, he has made significant contributions to the readiness of his operating forces. Among these contributions are accelerated and positive mans for providing logistic support to deployed forces which drastically reduced non-operational time for fleet aircraft; vast improvement in selection processes which insure the ability for prompt deployment of the best personnel with the proper equipment and materials effectively to accomplish an assigned task in the most economical manner; and great strides in the area of safety of lives and property. During fiscal year 1959, an intense safety program can be credited with saving the lives of 41 pilots and $30,000,000 worth of fleet equipment. The portion of this saving accomplished by Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, can be attributed directly to Vice Admiral Pride’s leadership and personal interest in the program. The degree of readiness of the Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, and its supporting elements has far surpassed that normally expected, considering the budgetary limitations imposed. His highly trained, combat-ready units are and have been the potent tools which have enabled the cognizant military commands in the Far East to implement the United States national policy, deter aggressor nations, and maintain stability in this strategic area. By his outstanding professional skill and tireless devotion to duty throughout, Vice Admiral Pride has upheld the highest traditions of a senior flag officer and of the United States Naval Service.