The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to First Lieutenant William Q. Brothers, Jr. (MCSN: 0-52322), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight against the enemy while serving with a Marine jet fighter squadron in Korea. On 17 July 1953, as a member of a division of Marine jet fighter-bombers, First Lieutenant Brothers participated in a close air support mission against a heavily defended enemy road bridge. After successfully completing an aerial assault that severely damaged the strategic structure, he noticed that the flight leader’s aircraft had been hit by an explosive hostile projectile and was rapidly loosing altitude. First Lieutenant Brothers immediately notified rescue facilities and then, with complete disregard for his own safety, conducted low level runs in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire in order to ascertain the downed pilot’s condition. Displaying superb airmanship, he orbited at minimum altitude despite increasingly accurate defensive fire and thereby greatly reduced the downed aviator’s peril and facilitated his immediate rescue. First Lieutenant Brothers’ heroic actions and exemplary initiative were responsible for the success of the mission and the saving of a fellow Marine’s life. His courageous conduct, perseverance and steadfast devotion to duty throughout reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.