The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant, Junior Grade Kenneth R. Adams, Jr. (NSN: 0-680850), United States Navy, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as an attack pilot, serving with Attack Squadron ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-THREE (VA-163), embarked in U.S.S. ORISKANY (CVA-34), during a combat mission over North Vietnam on 4 September 1967. Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Adams was a wingman in the main strike group during the first major attack against the system of bridges which connect the river-locked port city of Haiphong with the remainder of North Vietnam. When the strike group approached to within five miles of the target, the sky was blackened by the lethal bursts of 37-mm and 85-mm. anti-aircraft artillery. Additionally, the enemy launched a sustained barrage of five surface-to-air missiles. After alerting the force, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Adams recognized that his section leader did not have one tracking missile in sight and he called for the proper evasive action which caused the missile to miss. In order to degrade the accuracy of the intense fire from opposing flak sites, his strike element was forced to maneuver so violently that an optimum roll-in position was almost unattainable. With target destruction as his sole goal, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Adams unhesitatingly hazarded himself as he skillfully maneuvered into an idea initial attack position. He delivered an extremely accurate dive bombing attack, which placed four of his bombs directly on the target and destroyed two bridge spans. During the strike, he took valuable hand-held photography which confirmed the total destruction of this important bridge. He again saved his leader as they pulled off the target by calling out the deadly threat posed by a 37-mm. flak site which was accurately tracking his leader’s aircraft. Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Adams’ skill, superior airmanship and fearless determination, in the face of extreme danger, contributed significantly to the success of the mission and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.