The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Ensign John H. Lackey, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism while participating in aerial flight, while serving as Pilot of an airplane in an Aircraft Squadron, attached to the U.S.S. LEXINGTON (CV-2), in action against enemy forces in the Pacific War Area when his carrier was attacked by Japanese bombing planes on 20 February 1942. Ensign Lackey made vigorous and determined attacks, in the face of combined enemy machine gun and cannon fire against a formation of enemy heavy bombers, and he, with the assistance of his teammate, caused the destruction of one enemy bomber.