The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Frank W. Ayers (NSN: 0-103368), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in the line of his profession as Torpedo Officer of a Destroyer during a battle with a superior enemy force. In a bold and skillful daylight torpedo attack his ship drove in through heavy gun fire to a range of ten thousand yards and he launched all his torpedoes and secured a probable hit on an enemy heavy cruiser. His coolness and skill in this attack played an important part in forcing the enemy to withdraw. His conduct was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.