The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Photographer’s Mate First Class Mark E. Staff, United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight in the line of his profession as a photographer flying in a Torpedo Plane in action against enemy Japanese forces in the Battle of the Coral Sea on 8 May 1942. While subjected to intense anti-aircraft fire, and in the face of fierce fighter opposition, he participated in an attack on an enemy Japanese carrier and succeeded in obtaining photographs of the engagement in spite of these hazardous conditions. His service on this occasion was of great value to the Naval Service.