The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant, Junior Grade [then Ensign] Carl Clifford Foster, 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 Squadron THIRTY (VF-30), attached to the U.S.S. BELLEAU WOOD (CVL-24), during action against enemy Japanese forces at Okinawa, in the Ryukyu Chain, on 6 April 1945. Flying target combat air patrol, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Foster pressed home determined attacks against hostile aircraft and, in a single engagement, destroyed THREE enemy fighters and THREE enemy dive bombers. By his superb airmanship, he assisted materially in breaking up a large-scale enemy air attack on units of our Fleet engaged in landing operations on Okinawa. His courage and devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Foster and the United States Naval Service.