The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Seaman First Class William Lester Evans, United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight against a determined and skillful enemy. On 1 June 1945 while a member of the crew of a Navy Liberator search plane on a reconnaissance and photographic mission over enemy bastion of Singapore, he took part in an hour-long engagement with enemy fighter aircraft and so distinguished himself that he and other members of the crew were able to shoot down one enemy plane, probably destroy two others and inflict damage upon five additional enemy aircraft. While taking part in this flight, his plane also afforded utmost protection to a damaged Privateer plane which had been hit early in the encounter and covered it from 11,000 feet down to 1,200 feet when the crippled plane plunged into Singapore Straits. The manner in which he performed his duties in the face of enemy fire of anti-aircraft guns, and the achievements that were secured as a result of the mission all were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.