The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Ensign Joseph Louis Butel, United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Fighter Plane of Fighting Squadron SIX (VF-6), attached to the U.S.S. HANCOCK (CV-19), during action against enemy Japanese forces at Kure Harbor, Japan, on 25 July 1945. Undaunted by hazardous weather condition that closed in the target, Ensign Butel boldly plunged through a small opening in the clouds and, in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire, carried out an attack against major units of the Japanese Fleet, personally scoring a direct hit to leave a hostile battleship on fire and smoking. By his skill as an airman and devotion to duty, Ensign Butel upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.