The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Commander Joseph M. Schneiders, United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Strike Leader and Coordinator for a massive aerial attack against military installations on Bach Long Vi Island, North Vietnam, on 29 March 1965. Despite very poor visibility in the target area, and intense anti-aircraft fire, he persisted in maneuvering his aircraft close aboard the island. From this vantage point he was able to direct and coordinate repeated attacks. Discovering that the A-1H squadron had missed the island because of poor visibility, Commander Schneiders promptly made contact with those aircraft and vectored them to the target. He also made rocket attacks against anti-aircraft batteries on the island. He contributed greatly toward the destruction of radar sites and other military installations on the island.