The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Commander Malcolm D. Ross, United States Navy, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in a balloon flight on 4 May 1961. In a flight for the purpose of testing equipment and collecting scientific and medical data, Commander Ross attained a height of approximately 113,500 feet, a height greater than ever before achieved by man in a balloon. Through his outstanding professional ability, courage, and devotion to duty, he made a significant contribution to the scientific knowledge and to the advancement of the Navy and the United States in the fields of flight in upper air and in space.
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Awards Received
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Distinguished Flying Cross
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Distinguished Flying Cross
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Distinguished Flying Cross
All Hands (October 1961) -
Distinguished Flying Cross
All Hands (December 1959)The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Commander Malcolm D. Ross, United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Command Pilot of a two-man Navy balloon and gondola during a daring and hazardous ascent into the upper stratosphere on 26 – 27 July 1958. Testing aloft, under actual operating conditions, a new-type, sealed environment in the gondola, which contained a completely artificial atmosphere comparable to that at sea level, Commander Ross removed his helmet and oxygen mask, except for take-off and landing, for the duration of the flight at pressure altitudes ranging from 79,500 feet to 82,000 feet, thereby risking instant death in the event of decompression. In addition to setting a new, unofficial world endurance record for sustained flight into the stratosphere of thirty-four hours and thirty-nine minutes, he successfully completed approximately 27 other scientific experiments.