The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) to Lieutenant, Junior Grade David Marion Christian, United States Navy, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Pilot of a jet aircraft in Attack Squadron TWENTY-THREE (VA-23) aboard U.S.S. MIDWAY (CVA-41). During a combat strike against heavily defended radar installation 10 miles south of Thanh Hoa, North Vietnam, on 2 June 1965, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Christian pressed home successive attacks against the target in the face of intense, hostile anti-aircraft fire, scoring direct hits which destroyed the radar site. When his aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire as he climbed off target, he stayed with his burning plane and established a glide toward the safety of the sea five miles away. However, he apparently was unable to escape the burning craft before it crashed into the water.