The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) to Lieutenant, Junior Grade Ralph Hays Goddard, United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight in leading his division of bombers in launching an attack on a large enemy transport force, damaging two of the hostile vessels although strongly opposed by anti-aircraft fire and enemy Zero fighters, while serving in Bombing Squadron TEN (VB-10), embarked in U.S.S. ENTERPRISE (CV-6), during an attack against Japanese naval forces off Guadalcanal on 14 and 15 November 1942. The next day, having been assigned to the task of locating and destroying an enemy shore anti-aircraft installation, he deliberately placed himself in a position of great danger in order to entice the enemy to open fire and betray their position. Not succeeding in this, he searched for and found a likely target in a small clearing at the end of an obscure jungle path. Skillfully placing his bomb in the clearing, Lieutenant, Junior Grade Goddard succeeded in destroying quantities of enemy ammunition, fuel and supplies, as evidenced by great fires which sprang up and spread for a distance of half a mile along the beach area.