The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) to Ensign Paul Mathew Halloran (NSN: 0-114510), United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight while attached to a bombing squadron aboard a United States Aircraft Carrier during action against Japanese forces in the vicinity of Guadalcanal Island on 14 November 1942. Intercepting a report from a plan in another sector, Ensign Halloran, in company with his section leader, contacted a hostile surface force and scored a direct hit on a Japanese cruiser, setting it afire. In the daring accomplishment of this objective, however, he deprived himself of sufficient fuel to reach his carrier and thereby failed to return from his mission.