The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant, Junior Grade Syd A. Bennett (NSN: 0-499794), United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Pilot of a fighter plane and as flight leader while attached to Fighter Squadron ONE HUNDRED FOURTEEN (VF-114), on board the U.S.S. PHILIPPINE SEA (CV-47), during a Rescue Combat Air Patrol mission in the vicinity of Yangdok, North Korea, on 18 February 1952. Heedless of the acute danger to his life from the intense and accurate flak observed in this area, and although his plane was repeatedly struck by ground fire. Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Bennett, with gallant devotion to duty, made repeated low-level runs, firing machine guns and rockets, killing fifteen troops and preventing enemy patrols from capturing the downed airman. After exhausting his ordnance and with his fuel near exhaustion, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Bennett continued making runs on the enemy until he was relieved by night-fighter aircraft, at which time, darkness and weather preventing him from returning to his ship, he made a successful night landing on a friendly emergency airfield. His outstanding courage and steadfast devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.