The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant William John Russell, United States Coast Guard, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight during the early morning of 14 July 1964, as co-pilot of UF2G CGNR 7234 based at the Coast Guard Air Detachment, Sangley Point, Republic of the Philippines. Assisting in the search for survivors from a ditched Northwest Airlines DC-7 plane, approximately seventy miles northeast of Sangley Point, Lieutenant Russell skillfully piloted the plane, and despite adverse weather and flying conditions, his vigilance resulted in spotting a flare which led in the rescue of the fifty-seven survivors, who were located in four life rafts. He demonstrated his competence by accurately evaluating sea conditions and skillfully accomplishing a successful open sea landing in four-foot swells, and expertly maneuvering the aircraft to pick up the survivors. Twenty-three survivors were crowded into the plane, succored and made comfortable. The rest were rescued by a Navy P5M which had been directed to the scene. Lieutenant Russell then assisted in the skillful taxiing of the plane twenty miles to the sheltered waters of Anibawan Bay, Polillo Island, for further evacuation of the weary survivors to Manila. His expert airmanship, dauntless valor, sound judgment and unwavering devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United Coast Guard.