The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant James E. Butler, United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Assistant Operations Officer and Pilot of a dive bomber operating in the Solomon Islands from 15 May to 5 October 1943. Lieutenant Butler completed numerous bombing and photographic missions against strongly defended positions. On 11 September he volunteered to direct rescue operations of a pilot shot down in Japanese-controlled waters and, under most difficult conditions, obtained bearings which resulted in his rescue.