The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Ensign Andrew G. Brtis (NSN: 0-506752), United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as pilot of a jet fighter aircraft attached to Fighter Squadron ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY-TWO (VF-172), during a special bridge strike at Changin-ni, North Korea, on 31 January 1952. Despite grave hazards Ensign Brtis attacked a vital enemy railway bridge in the face of intense automatic weapons fire and concentrated fire from twenty-three known medium anti-aircraft guns employing radar fire control systems. He dropped two five hundred pound bombs, scoring two direct hits and destroying two spans of the bridge. After destroying his primary target, Ensign Brtis scored direct hits with rockets and cannon on an enemy warehouse near Yangdok. Near Ch’ang-ni he surprised a large detachment of enemy troops and vehicles and attacked them through concentrated small arms fire, heavily damaging one warehouse and killing twenty enemy troops in repeated rocket and strafing attacks. His gallant devotion to duty was at all times in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.