The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant, Junior Grade William C. C. Clark, United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Pilot of an F-8A jet aircraft in Utility Squadron FIVE (VU-5), on 8 December 1964. Experiencing an engine fire shortly after takeoff on a training flight from U.S. Naval Air Station, Atsugi, Japan, Lieutenant, Junior Grade Clark elected to remain with his burning aircraft in order to avoid crashing into a populated area. This decision required him to stay with a burning jet far longer than is consistent with the personal safety of the pilot, thereby risking his own life to avoid jeopardizing the lives and safety of others. As a result, the aircraft crashed into a sparsely populated area with no loss of life, no injury, and only minor property damage.