The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Major Fred J. Cone (MCSN: 0-71439), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism in action against the enemy while serving as a Pilot of an A6A Intruder Aircraft with Marine All Weather Attack Squadron TWO HUNDRED FORTY-TWO (VMA(AW)-242), in the Republic of Vietnam on 25 October 1967. Assigned the mission of attacking an airfield deep in enemy controlled territory, Major Cone coordinated and led the second flight of four aircraft in a coordinated three flight strike attack. He led his flight across rugged terrain with no navigational aids. Skillfully navigating to the exact letdown point, he began his descent to evade enemy radar. Undaunted by the intense enemy anti-aircraft fire, he skillfully maneuvered his aircraft towards the objective. Major Cone’s surface-to-air missile warning device indicated that a missile had been launched. He banked his Intruder into a head-on collision course and with split second timing, snapped the aircraft down and away from the missile so that it exploded harmlessly in the air. Observing a second missile being launched, he skillfully avoided it 300 feet above the ground. While nearing the target and engulfed in intense enemy ground fire, he encountered a third and fourth missile. Utilizing the same tactics, he skillfully avoided the third missile, however, the fourth missile exploded above his aircraft tossing it into a violent maneuver. Although his plane was damaged, Major Cone continued on his course. Quickly putting his aircraft into a steep climb so that safe separation from the blast of his bombs could be achieved, he dropped four and one-half tons of ordnance, devastating the target. While turning outboard, he encountered a fifth missile. Quickly assessing the situation, he jettisoned his drop tanks to gain speed and maneuverability, thus avoiding the missile. By his bold initiative, devotion to duty and superb aeronautical skill, Major Cone was instrumental in destroying an enemy airfield, reflecting great credit upon himself and the Marine Corps and upholding the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.