The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant [then Lieutenant, Junior Grade] Eugene P. Dye, United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Fighter Plane in Fighting Bombing Squadron ONE (VFB-1), attached to the U.S.S. BENNINGTON (CV-20), in action against major units of the enemy Japanese Fleet at the Kure Naval Base, Japan, on 28 July 1945. In the face of intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire from numerous hostile warships and from many strategically located shore installations, Lieutenant Dye courageously led his section through adverse weather in a dive-bombing attack against a large carrier. Pressing home to low altitude, he scored a direct hit on the hostile vessel while other planes in his section obtained a second hit and a near miss, inflicting serous damage. By his airmanship and gallant fighting spirit, Lieutenant Dye contributed materially to the success of an epic strike in which all capital ships of the Japanese Fleet near Kure were either sunk or damaged. His devotion to duty was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.