The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant William Gauvey, Jr., United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Dive Bomber of Bombing Squadron EIGHTY-FIVE (VB-85), attached to the U.S.S. SHANGRI-LA (CV-38), in action against powerful units of the Japanese Fleet on Honshu Island, Japan, on 18 July 1945. Vigorously participating in an attack against the enemy battleship NAGATO at Yokosuka Naval Base, probably the most heavily defended area in the Japanese Empire, Lieutenant Gauvey dived to a dangerously low level through extremely intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire from shore batteries and a large number of ships in the harbor and scored a direct hit on the aiming point prescribed in the operational order which inflicted extensive damage on the hostile ship. Although his aircrewman was killed and his plane badly damaged, he successfully retired over the perilous area. His courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.