The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Ensign Lemuel Oscar Bacon (NSN: 0-315709), United States Navy, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as the pilot of a carrier-based torpedo bomber. Ensign Bacon was a member of a four-plane division of torpedo planes on 21 September 1944, which was assigned the mission of attacking enemy shipping in the vicinity of the Philippine Islands. He pressed home his attack in the face of return anti-aircraft fire from a medium sized armed cargo vessel at such an altitude and to such a range that torpedo hits were scored on the vessel, resulting in its sinking within two minutes of the attack. His conduct was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.