The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant, Junior Grade Onia B. Stanley, United States Navy, for heroic conduct in aerial combat, while serving as Pilot and Section Leader of an airplane in a Fighting Squadron, attached to the U.S.S. LEXINGTON (CV-2), in action against enemy forces in the Pacific War Area when his carrier was attacked by Japanese bombing planes on 20 February 1942. Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Stanley led his section to intercept an four-engined patrol bomber, and in the face of combined machine gun and cannon fire, pressed home attacks until with the assistance of his teammate, he shot the enemy bomber down.