The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant, Junior Grade Joe D. Mitchell, United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight in a vigorous glide-bombing attack against Japanese ships in Kahili Harbor. Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Mitchell fought his way through a gauntlet of enemy fighters and scored a direct hit on an enemy destroyer before he himself was shot down. He participated in numerous other missions against Munda, Vila and Nususongo.