The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to First Lieutenant Brian Michael Ratzlaff (AFSN: 18860110/3225822), United States Air Force, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as an F-4D Pilot near Pleiku, Republic of Vietnam on 6 November 1970. On that date, Lieutenant Ratzlaff was the pilot of the lead aircraft in a flight of two Phantoms which struck an area known to contain a large hostile force. In spite of heavy small arms and automatic weapons fire and extremely adverse weather conditions, Lieutenant Ratzlaff and his aircraft commander delivered their ordnance precisely on target resulting in six military structures destroyed, ten military structures damaged, one bunker destroyed, seven sustained fires, and three hostile troops killed by air. The professional competence, aerial skill, and devotion to duty displayed by Lieutenant Ratzlaff reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.