The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant William Neil Collins, United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Torpedo Plane and Section Leader in Torpedo Squadron FORTY-SEVEN (VT-47), attached to the U.S.S. BATAAN (CVL-29), in action against enemy Japanese forces in the East China Sea near Kyushu, Japan, on 7 April 1945. Although wounded by a burst of anti-aircraft fire which damaged his plane as he launched his dive, Lieutenant Collins resolutely continued a bold and determined attack against a Japanese battleship despite opposition from the heavy concentration of main and auxiliary batteries aboard the warships of the enemy Task Force, releasing his torpedoes at low altitude over the target to score a direct hit on the hostile vessel. Extensively damaging one of the enemy’s major surface units, Lieutenant Collins rendered invaluable assistance in the sinking of a powerful warship and, by his superb airmanship and courageous conduct at grave personal risk throughout a perilous mission, contributed immeasurably to his squadron’s success in a crippling strike against remnants of the one-vaunted Japanese Fleet in its own home waters. His daring aggressiveness, indomitable fighting spirit and gallant devotion to duty under fire were inspiring to those with whom he served and reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service.