The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant, Junior Grade Frank Richard Hayde, Jr. (NSN: 0-240363), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight during World War II. Directed to intercept a numerically superior force of enemy fighters during our invasion of the Mariana Islands, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Hayde hurled his fighter plane into the midst of the Japanese formation and sent three Japanese planes crashing into the sea.