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 Lieutenant John H. Bowen, Jr. (NSN: 0-173732), United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight while serving as a fighter pilot of an F-4U in Fighter Squadron SEVEN HUNDRED NINETY-ONE (VF-791), based aboard the U.S.S. BOXER (CV-21), against the hostile enemy in North Korea. On 4 June 1951, Lieutenant Bowen actively participated in a strike on a vitally important bridge near Kaemal. With courageous efficiency and with utter disregard for his own personal safety while subjected to intense automatic weapons fire, he made a low level napalm attack on the assigned bridge scoring a direct hit. On subsequent attacks, Lieutenant Bowen scored three direct hits with bombs totally destroying the bridge. Facing a withering enemy fire, he then attacked the automatic weapons positions with unrelenting fury until they were silenced, thereby permitting his flight to carry out their assigned mission. His gallant devotion to duty in the face of extreme peril was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.