The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Ross P. Whitmarsh, United States Navy, for distinguished service in. the line of his profession as the Officer in Charge of an open boat which put off from the steamship Dwinsk after the torpedoing of that vessel and remained afloat for 10 days, much of the time in a raging storm, before being rescued. Lieutenant Whitmarsh’s courage and hopefulness under these trying and perilous conditions set an example to others in the boat, maintaining a spirit of cheerfulness when the chances of rescue seemed almost negligible.