The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Robert Marion Finley, United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Commander of a Navy Patrol Bomber in Patrol Bombing Squadron ONE HUNDRED EIGHTEEN (VPB-118), in action against enemy Japanese forces near the coast of Korea on 4 and 6 May 1945. Carrying out attacks against enemy shipping in the face of anti-aircraft fire from shore batteries, Lieutenant Finley courageously pressed in to masthead level and, after sinking an enemy tanker and a merchant ship with one bomb each, made strafing runs on a hostile freighter, breaking off his attacks only after losing an engine. On 6 May, despite heavy anti-aircraft fire, he again made masthead runs to sink two tankers with direct hits, the larger of which was sunk at the entrance of an enemy harbor. Then, still under anti-aircraft fire, he damaged a small freighter. Lieutenant Finley’s gallant fighting spirit and unwavering devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.