The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant Commander Ernest W. Wood, Jr. (NSN: 0-129880), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as commander of an air group attached to the U.S.S. PRINCETON (CVL-23), in action in the Mariana Islands from 11 to 19 June 1944. Lieutenant Commander Wood led his group on numerous strikes against enemy airfields and installations in support of our ground forces. He destroyed parked aircraft and severely damaged military positions, later carrying out hazardous reconnaissance flights at low altitudes to determine the damage inflicted on these raids.