The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Robert Flyn Adair (NSN: 0-283930), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Torpedo Plane in Composite Squadron TWENTY (VC-20), attached to the U.S.S. KADASHAN BAY (CVE-76), in action against enemy Japanese forces near Samar in the Philippine Islands during the Battle of Leyte Gulf on 25 October 1944. Lieutenant Adair, Division Leader of one of the Torpedo Plane divisions, was ordered to attack the battleship second in line of the three battleships which were leading the enemy van, and closing on the escort carrier group. After making an effort to coordinate his torpedo attack with strafing and bombing attacks with the other planes, and being unable to arrange for this, despite the intense anti-aircraft fire, which was directed at him and his wingman, Ensign Warren Kruck, he and Kruck made an unsupported attack on the battleship, which resulted in one torpedo hit on the port side, damaging the ship severely and causing it to turn away from the escort carrier group. In pulling out after the attack it was necessary for him to fly over the third battleship in the formation, and only by the most violent evasive maneuver was he able to avoid being shot down by the fire from the ship. His courage, aggressiveness, and cool disregard for danger were at all times in keeping with the highest traditions of the Navy of the United States.