The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to First Lieutenant William Dean Armstrong (MCSN: 0-11938), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in aerial action as a Section Leader with a Marine Fighting Squadron against enemy Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands area. On 21 August 1943, Lieutenant Armstrong, compelled to return from a patrol over Vella Lavella to the Munda base because of insufficient gasoline, though alone, turned back to meet a large enemy force reportedly heading for Vella Lavella. In the ensuing action with fifteen enemy planes, he destroyed an enemy fighter. On 23 August, as one of three Corsair pilots sent to intercept twelve enemy planes en route to attack the American base at Vella Lavella, Lieutenant Armstrong personally accounted for one enemy fighter and thus assisted in breaking up the formation of sixty to eighty fighters and dive-bombers. Lieutenant Armstrong played a large part in this interception by personally destroying a fighter and a dive-bomber. In the above missions and in numerous others Lieutenant Armstrong’s fighting spirit, high courage, and fearlessness have been in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to First Lieutenant William Dean Armstrong (MCSN: 0-11938), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flights in military operations against the enemy in the Nansei Shoto, Borneo and Japanese controlled waters during the period 27 May 1945 to 8 August 1945. First Lieutenant Armstrong completed twenty flights in a combat area where enemy anti-aircraft fire was expected to be effective or where enemy aircraft patrols usually occurred. His conduct throughout has distinguished him among those performing duties of the same character.