The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant, Junior Grade James S. Swope, United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as a member of a four plane flight of a United States Navy Fighting Squadron on 16 June 1943. Intercepting a large number of enemy dive-bombers in the Solomon Islands area, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Swope accounted for three enemy planes. On 6 July 1943, he shot down a Zero, and, with two other pilots on 9 July 1943, destroyed two more enemy fighters.