The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Commander [then Lieutenant] Ralph Daniel Ettinger, United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Plane Commander of a Navy Patrol Bomber in Patrol Bombing Squadron ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE (VPB-121), in action against enemy Japanese forces over the coast of Honshu, Japan, on 3 August 1945. Discovering a downed Army pilot in a life boat in Sagami Wan while carrying out a search and reconnaissance patrol in company with another Privateer, Lieutenant Commander Ettinger departed in a search of a life-guard submarine to pick up the survivor and, encountering a 700-ton hostile cargo vessel, pressed home an aggressive bombing attack to assist in sinking the enemy vessel. After locating a life-guard submarine and directing it to the survivor, he defended the surfaced vessel and survivor against persistent attacks by eight enemy planes for forty minutes, shooting down two and damaging a third. By his brilliant airmanship, determined fighting spirit and devotion to duty, Lieutenant Commander Ettinger contributed greatly to the success of this difficult air-sea rescue and his actions throughout upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.