The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Commander [then Lieutenant] William Emerson Lamb, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Fighter Plane in Fighting Squadron TWENTY-SEVEN (VF-27), attached to the U.S.S. PRINCETON (CVL-23), in action against enemy Japanese aerial forces west of the Mariana Islands during the First Battle of the Philippine Sea on 19 June 1944. After shooting down one plane and damaging another of a large group of enemy aircraft attempting an attack on his Task Force, Lieutenant Commander Lamb became separated from his fighter division and, while flying alone, overheard instructions to a friendly formation of planes to intercept a second large enemy group. Immediately flying toward an estimated point of interception, he suddenly discovered a formation of twelve previously unreported enemy bombers and, flying formation on the group until certain his Task Force had received his continuous reports on their position, course and speed, opened fire despite the inoperable condition of fire of his six guns and shot down three planes. Upon arrival of other United States aircraft, he led repeated attacks which dispersed the formation and destroyed all but one or two of the remaining bombers. By his airmanship and determined aggressiveness against tremendous odds, Lieutenant Commander Lamb contributed materially to the success of his squadron in this historic engagement, and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.