The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant Commander James W. Austin, United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Flight Leader of a Division of aircraft assigned as flak suppression and anti-MiG screen during an attack on an important railroad bridge in North Vietnam, on 20 September 1965. After evading a barrage of surface-to-air missiles during the approach to the target area, Lieutenant Commander Austin led his flight to the target and initiated glide bombing attacks in the face of heavy enemy fire. After scoring several hits on the bridge, he positioned his flight to protect the main body of the strike group from enemy fighters reported airborne in the vicinity.