The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Captain Francis Edwin Pierce, Jr. (MCSN: 0-7482), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as a Fighter Pilot attached to Marine Fighting Squadron TWO HUNDRED TWELVE (VMF-212), Marine Air Group FOURTEEN (MAG-14) FIRST Marine Aircraft Wing, in aerial combat against enemy Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands Area on 11 and 15 January 1943. On 11 January Captain Pierce accompanied eleven other fighter planes escorting dive bombers ordered to strike at enemy shipping off New Georgia Island. As Japanese fighter planes fiercely attacked our bombers and threatened the success of our mission, he daringly engaged the enemy and by his cool courage and expert marksmanship shot down two hostile aircraft and assisted in driving off the remaining planes, thereby insuring the success of the dive-bombing attack. While taking part in a similar mission on 15 January he was piloting one of fifteen fighter planes when twenty-four enemy fighters attacked our dive bombers. Although wounded severely in both legs and with his plane badly damaged, Captain Pierce, with utter disregard for his own personal safety, boldly countered the attack and personally shot down three of the eleven Japanese planes destroyed during the engagement. His superb airmanship and indomitable fighting spirit were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.