The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) to Lieutenant, Junior Grade John Taurman (NSN: 0-106380), United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight in the Solomon Islands area on 14 October 1942. When contact was made with a heavy cruiser and three destroyers, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Taurman and three other torpedo pilots dropped to 200 feet and pressed home the attack through heavy anti-aircraft fire. He scored one of the two, and probably three, hits which sank the cruiser.