The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Commander Ross Edwin Torkelson (NSN: 0-77797), United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Executive Officer of Fighting Squadron TWENTY-ONE (VF-21) in the Solomon Islands from 21 June 1943 to 17 July 1943. Lieutenant Commander Torkelson led 33 successful combat missions and personally shot down three bombers and two Zeros.