The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant Commander Laurence Burton Green (NSN: 0-123621), United States Navy, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Pilot of a Fighter Plane attached to Fighter Squadron FIFTY-THREE (VF-53), based on board the U.S.S. VALLEY FORGE (CV-45), during operations against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on 14 March 1953. As flight leader of a flak suppression element against a heavily defended enemy electrical transformer station, Lieutenant Commander Green carried out a series of daring attacks against twenty-four known hostile anti-aircraft gun positions and, despite an intense barrage of enemy small-arms and anti-aircraft fire, personally destroyed or damaged seven 37-mm. gun emplacements. When fourteen additional positions were discovered in a sector widely separated from the immediate attack area, he immediately revised the tactics for his flight to cover all thirty-eight gun positions with fragmentation bombs and strafing fire. By his superb airmanship, courage and inspiring leadership in the face of persistent hostile fire, Lieutenant Commander Green contributed immeasurably to the success of the assigned mission and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.