The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Chief Quartermaster Cornelius Cronin, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving on board the U.S.S. Richmond in action at Mobile Bay, Alabama, 5 August 1864. Cool and vigilant at his station throughout the prolonged action, Chief Quartermaster Cronin watched for signals and skillfully steered the ship as she trained her guns on Fort Morgan and on other ships of the Confederacy despite extremely heavy return fire. He participated in the actions at Forts Jackson and St. Philip, with the Chalmette batteries, at the surrender of New Orleans, and in the attacks on batteries below Vicksburg.