The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Junior Grade William W. Fratus (NSN: 0-129725), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight while piloting a Torpedo Plane during an attack on Japanese shipping at Rabaul on 5 November 1943. Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Fratus came in low over the target and made a daring run at a warship getting under way in the center of Simpson Harbor. He assisted in the destruction of the ten planes shot down by his squadron and to the severe damage inflicted on important enemy warships.