The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to First Lieutenant Vance E. Brown (MCSN: 0-51827), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight with a Marine Attack Squadron in Korea. On 1 February 1953, First Lieutenant Brown engaged in an aerial assault against heavily entrenched enemy front line forces then opposing elements of the FIRST Marine Division. Diving through intense automatic weapons fire, he conducted a daring low level napalm assault that inflicted severe damage on enemy personnel bunkers. In the face of concentrated hostile fire he immediately initiated a second attack during which he completed the destruction of the enemy installations and caused heavy enemy casualties. First Lieutenant Brown’s bombing accuracy and outstanding aggressiveness were largely responsible for the success of a mission that substantially reduced pressure on front line units of the FIRST Marine Division. His courageous conduct, exceptional initiative and steadfast devotion to duty throughout reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.