The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant LeRoy Everett Bartels (NSN: 0-309584/3164874), United States Navy, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight in a Torpedo Plane during the Battle of the Coral Sea, 7 May 1942. He assisted in an attack on an enemy carrier while being subjected to intense anti-aircraft fire and while being attacked by enemy fighter aircraft. He obtained photographs of the engagement under the above hazardous conditions where were highly valuable to the naval service.