The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant Cyrenus L. Gillette, United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight. Despite severe electrical storms, poor visibility and withering anti-aircraft fire, Lieutenant Gillette daringly pressed home an attack on a Japanese task force of five destroyers. He scored one hit and dispersed the other units. On 25 January 1943, acting as spotter, he contributed to the success of our forces in shelling Vila Plantation installations.