The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Ensign Edmund G. Barzyk (NSN: 0-368921), United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as pilot of a carrier-based Fighter Plane in a Task Force strike against major Japanese Fleet units at the Kure Naval Base on 24 July 1945. Despite intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire of all types, he pressed home his attack on his assigned target, the Japanese heavy cruiser AOBA to a perilously low level attack. After the strike group had rendezvoused it was attacked by twenty-five enemy fighter planes. Despite a substantial altitude advantage and a numerically superiority of more than two-to-one held by the enemy, he skillfully countered the attack and engaged them so courageously that not one enemy plane was able to fire on the bomber and torpedo planes in the formation. His courage and skill were at all times in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.