The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant Maynard Carter Kelley (MCSN: 0-29991), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for extraordinary heroism as Tower Control Duty Officer of Marine Fighting Squadron (Night) 533 (VMF-533(N)), attached to the Marine Air Base at Yontan, Okinawa, when airborne enemy Japanese troops effected a surprise landing at that field on 24 and 25 May 1945. On duty in the transmitter room at the base of the control tower when a hostile troop carrier glided in on the northeast runway, First Lieutenant Kelley immediately reported the incident to the Operations Officer, and then boarded a jeep and drove to the scene of the landing, where he remained despite the menace of exploding aircraft and the deadly fire of automatic weapons, knee mortars and hand grenades. Armed only with a service revolver as he coolly evaluated the critical situation, he succeeded in killing one of the marauding Japanese before he withdrew from the runway to the tower. Determined to halt the hostile invasion, he fearlessly exposed himself to a merciless concentration of fire to train a spotlight on the enemy aircraft and troops and, skillfully directing the small-arms fire of other Marines, continually harassed and ultimately frustrated all enemy attempts to reach and destroy our parked aircraft and vital field installations. Fatally wounded as he persevered in his courageous efforts, First Lieutenant Kelley, by his alert presence of mind, shrewd tactics and indomitable fighting spirit in the face of tremendous odds, had served as an inspiration to his fighting comrades and contributed immeasurably to the repulse of this abortive Japanese attack which resulted in the annihilation of approximately seventy-one of the enemy. His determined initiative and personal valor throughout sustained and enhanced the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.