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 Captain Jacob S. Ashmore, United States Air Force, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as F-15E Aircraft commander, 492d Fighter Squadron, 48th Operations Group, 48th Fighter Wing, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England on 19 March 2011. On this night, Captain Ashmore flew as number two of a four-ship F-15E formation in the first mission of Operation ODYSSEY DAWN. With nominal intelligence data regarding the location and disposition of Libyan air defenses or hostile ground forces, his formation penetrated multiple known Strategic Surface to Air Missile threats to execute a tactical plan designed to draw the attention of the Libyan Integrated Air Defense System. Almost, immediately, Captain Ashmore’s aircraft was targeted by a mobile tactical Surface to Air Missile system, and then by aimed anti-aircraft artillery fire which both required skillful and timely threat reactions to defeat the grave danger posed to his aircraft. Disregarding his own safety, Captain Ashmore turned back into the active threat envelopes of four missile systems and was able to track and positively identify a mobile tactical missile system. He then positioned his aircraft within lethal range of the threats in order to pass target information to his formation while simultaneously scanning the area for additional targets. After two formation attacks failed to achieve desired weapons effects, he expertly employed a precision guided munition, destroying the target. Subsequently Captain Ashmore located, targeted, and destroyed two more mobile missiles systems and two support vehicles while his aircraft was continuously targeted by aimed anti-aircraft artillery fire. The professional competence, aerial skill, and devotion to duty displayed by Captain Ashmore reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.