The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant John E. Porter, Jr., United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as commander of a Liberator airplane operating from Nadzab and Momote airfields from 24 March 1943 to 29 May 1944. Lieutenant Porter wrecked four small merchantmen and one loaded barge, destroyed two warehouses, killed many Japanese, destroyed an enemy bomber in aerial combat and wrecked a medium-sized merchantman.