The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Second Gold Star in lieu of a Third Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Commander William F. Sallada, United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Flight Leader of six aircraft in an air wing strike on the Cao Nung Railroad Bridge, northeast of Hanoi, North Vietnam. When missiles were fired at the flight en route to the target, he led the planes below the missile envelope, re-grouped them and pressed on to deliver the attack. In spite of the threat from missiles that were fired at the flight before and during the attack, and from the intense aircraft fire at the target, Commander Sallada attacked until the bridge was completely unusable.

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 William F. Sallada, United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight for a high speed, low-level attack on the Thai Nguyen Bridge, North Vietnam, on 17 October 1965. In the face of intense anti-aircraft and automatic weapons fire which inflicted heavy damage to the striking force, Commander Sallada penetrated deep into the mountainous area and conducted an attack which rendered this strategic target completely unserviceable.