The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to First Lieutenant Karl Aron (MCSN: 0-47574), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight against the enemy as a member of a Marine jet fighter squadron in Korea. On 16 June 1953, First Lieutenant Aron led a division of Marine jet fighter-bombers on a close air support mission against heavily defended enemy troops that were advancing toward friendly front line positions. Promptly locating the carefully camouflaged troop concentrations in mountainous terrain, First Lieutenant Aron initiated a low level napalm and strafing assault. Diving to minimum altitude through intense hostile anti-aircraft fire, he scored direct napalm hits that clearly marked the objective. After directing the remainder of the flight in a successful napalm attack, he then led repeated strafing assaults that inflicted heavy enemy casualties and left the area engulfed in flames. First Lieutenant Aron’s exceptional accuracy and exemplary leadership were responsible for the success of a flight that stopped a major enemy advance and substantially reduced pressure on elements of the United Nations ground forces. His courageous conduct, superb airmanship and steadfast devotion to duty throughout reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.