The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain Ira Clifford Anderson (MCSN: 0-69699), United States Marine Corps, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight in combat with the enemy on 20 March 1966, while attached to and serving with Attack Squadron NINETY-FOUR (VA-94), embarked in U.S.S. ENTERPRISE (CVA(N)-65). Captain Anderson, as leader of a flight of two A-4C aircraft, successfully defended a downed pilot from an enemy armed junk force during a daring rescue mission near the coast of North Vietnam. Disregarding the concentrated automatic weapons fire from several enemy craft, and mortar fire from the nearby coast, he gallantly executed multiple rocket and strafing attacks at dangerously low altitudes against the approaching enemy junks, dauntlessly defending the rescue forces and the survivor under extremely adverse weather conditions in approaching darkness and in close proximity to the precipitous enemy coast. With unyielding resolve, he intentionally placed his aircraft in an inextremis condition of low fuel state in order to continue his attacks until the downed pilot was safely recovered. Captain Anderson’s vigorous leadership, aggressiveness and indomitable courage in the face of grave personal danger and extreme adversity contributed greatly to saving the downed pilot from certain capture and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.