The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to First Lieutenant William R. Hesser, United States Air Force, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as an F-4D Pilot near Hue, Republic of Vietnam, on 21 July 1970. On that date, Lieutenant Hesser scrambled to the aid of an Allied patrol caught in a crossfire from two hostile gun sites. Though faced with a dangerously low weather ceiling in mountainous terrain and taking hostile ground fire, Lieutenant Hesser made repeated passes on the hostile positions until they were silenced. The professional competence, aerial skill, and devotion to duty displayed by Lieutenant Hesser reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.