The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Lorne Jack Besse (NSN: 0-157689), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Dive Bomber in Bombing Squadron EIGHTY-SEVEN (VB-87), attached to the U.S.S. TICONDEROGA (CV-14), in action against enemy Japanese forces in the vicinity of Kure, Japan, on 24 July 1945. Braving heavy enemy anti-aircraft fire from the ship and shore batteries which began during the approach to the target and continued in intensity throughout the attack and retirement, Lieutenant Besse skillfully pressed home his bombing run against the enemy battleship-aircraft carrier HYUGA, scoring a direct hit with a 1,000-pound bomb and contributing materially to the sinking of the hostile vessel. His airmanship and unswerving devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.