The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Robert Storrs Dorton (NSN: 0-156379), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a Navy Patrol Plane and Commander of RESCUE SQUADRON THREE, deployed off the U.S.S. KADASHAN BAY (CVE-76), during rescue operations in the Japanese Home Waters, on 2 June 1945. Intercepting a report on the capsizing of a Navy search plane during its attempted to rescue a downed fighter pilot, Lieutenant Dorton courageously flew into the hostile Kagoshima Bay, Kyushu, Japan, and executed a rough water landing one-half mile off the beach. Although assailed by anti-aircraft fire from shore batteries while airborne as well as waterborne, he succeeded in reaching the downed fighter pilot and the entire crew of the sunken search plane and, taking all survivors aboard, returned safe to base. His skilled airmanship, courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.