The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting 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 Jet 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 18 February 1953. Leading a flight of jet fighter planes on a strike against a strategic enemy railroad bridge situated in a gorge 3,000 feet below the mountain peaks and 80 feet above a river bed, Lieutenant Commander Green conducted repeated attacks on the target in the face of continuously pointed cross fire from at least twelve 37-mm. anti-aircraft and other automatic weapons positions, scoring a direct hit which collapsed a span of the bridge and seriously disrupted the east-west railroad supply route of the hostile forces. By his superb airmanship, courage and steadfast devotion to duty, Lieutenant Commander Green contributed materially to the reduction of this enemy transportation facility and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

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.