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 Captain Alfred F. Branham (MCSN: 0-27844), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as a member of a Marine All-Weather Fighter Squadron in Korea. On 12 April 1953, while flying a Marine jet night fighter, Captain Branham escorted a pre-dawn flight of medium bombers on a high priority aerial assault against heavily defended enemy military installations deep in hostile territory. Constantly on the alert for enemy interceptor aircraft, he detected targets on his radar screen and immediately conducted interceptions on hostile jet fighters. Despite the illumination of multiple searchlight beams and barrages of radar-controlled anti-aircraft fire, he tracked the enemy aircraft and repelled their attempts to assault the bombers. The outstanding aggressiveness displayed by Captain Branham on this and numerous other night escort missions, while under constant threat of attack by numerically superior enemy jet interceptors, was a major factor in the success of massed night bombing raids on strategic enemy installations. His courageous conduct, superb airmanship and steadfast devotion to duty throughout reflected great credit upon himself and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.