The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) to Aviation Machinist’s Mate First Class Johannas Cornileus Heldoorn (NSN: 4013653), United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight while serving with Torpedo Squadron TWO (VT-2), aboard the U.S.S. LEXINGTON (CV-2), during the Battle of the Coral Sea, 7 – 8 May 1942. Although subjected to intense anti-aircraft fire as machine gunner in a Torpedo Plane, Aviation Machinist’s Mate First Class Heldoorn participated in a determined attack on a Japanese carrier. On the same day his squadron shot down two fighter planes. Aviation Machinist’s Mate First Class Heldoorn has been missing since 8 May 1942, and is now presumed dead.