The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Alfred John Fecke, United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Fighter Plane in Fighting Squadron TWENTY-NINE (VF-29), attached to the U.S.S. CABOT (CVL-28), in action against enemy Japanese forces in the vicinity of Formosa, on 16 October 1944. Encountering approximately seventy enemy aircraft while leading the combat air patrol covering his own force, Lieutenant Fecke boldly attacked the hostile formation with his eight-plane flight, pressing home an assault in the face of concentrated fire from enemy fighters and personally destroying FIVE of the planes. By his outstanding ability as an airman, courageous leadership and zealous devotion to the fulfillment of his assignment, Lieutenant Fecke contributed to the complete shattering of the enemy attack during this fierce engagement and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.