The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant Commander Vincent L. Hathorn, United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight operating from an aircraft carrier on a pre-dawn takeoff and in monsoon weather during World War II. Lieutenant Commander Hathorn led his squadron in a daring attack on the strategic enemy naval and air base at Sabang, Sumatra. Later, he led his squadron across an expanse of 80 miles of heavily defended Japanese territory, including 13 airfields, to completely destroy a vital oil refinery at Soerabaja, Java.