The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant, Junior Grade Richard L. Newhafer (NSN: 0-278461), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Fighter Plane in Fighting Squadron SIX (VF-6), attached to the U.S.S. HANCOCK (CV-19), in a strike against major units of the enemy fleet, including aircraft carriers, battleships, cruisers and destroyers, in Kure Harbor, Japan, on 25 July 1945. In spite of a cloud layer which completely closed in the target and despite the fact that the target coordinator called off the attack and diverted striking planes to other targets because of weather, the attack was made through a small opening in the clouds bore-sighted by anti-aircraft batteries. In the face of intense anti-aircraft fire, he attacked an enemy battleship clouded in smoke. His skill and courage were at all times in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.