The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant Commander John E. Vermillion, United States Navy, for heroism and extraordinary achievement in aerial flight in the Republic of Vietnam on the night of 2 October 1968. Lieutenant commander VERMILLION, as Plane Commander on an AP-2H aircraft in Heavy Attach Squadron TWENTY ONE, detected what appeared to be a lucrative target during a night low-level reconnaissance and attack mission in Vinh Binh Province. On the initial run into the target the aircraft came under intense automatic weapons fire from several different locations surrounding the target, prior to bomb release, the aircraft was hit by enemy fire and the primary bombing system was knocked out of commission. Undaunted by the loss of the bombing system and the severe ground fire, he made three additional low level passes, strafing and dropping his bombs visually until his ordnance was expended. His intrepid action resulted in the destruction of a large Viet Cong storage area and an automatic weapons site. Lieutenant Commander Vermillion’s demonstrated courage, superlative airmanship, quick decisiveness and professionalism were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.