The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant, Junior Grade Dale C. Klahn, United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight during World War II. Proceeding to Sabang, Sumatra, in advance of the main striking group, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Klahn maneuvered his plane at dangerously low levels to obtain vital photographs of the area and make four effective strafing runs on the airfield, destroying two Zeros, one torpedo bomber and a transport plane. When his fighter plane was badly damaged by anti-aircraft fire, he headed out to sea and parachuted into the water. At Soerabaja, he again strafed an airfield, destroying one transport plane and damaging two others.