The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant Commander James Richard Lee, United States Navy, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Commanding Officer of Scouting Squadron TEN (VS-10), embarked in U.S.S. ENTERPRISE (CV-6). Lieutenant Commander Lee led an offensive search immediately preceding an enemy attack on Japanese naval units near the Santa Cruz Islands on 26 October 1942. Making contact with Japanese naval units, including aircraft carriers, Lieutenant Commander Lee succeeded in penetrating the enemy’s air and surface screens to develop the contact, and then transmitted an accurate radio report while fighting his way through repeated attacks by enemy fighters, dooming one. Although his plane was heavily hit by enemy gunfire, he landed safely back aboard the carrier.