The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Warren Lee Keely, United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Fighter Plane and Leader of a Group of Planes in Fighting Squadron TWENTY-ONE (VF-21), attached to the U.S.S. BELLEAU WOOD (CVL-24), during action against enemy Japanese forces near Formosa, on 13 October 1944. Vectored ninety miles to intercept a large enemy force of aircraft, Lieutenant Keely, immediately upon sighting the hostile formation, courageously led his four-plane division into a vigorous air battle. Although outnumbered eight-to-one, he pressed home his fierce attack with unrelenting determination and, maneuvering for maximum combat efficiency, succeeded in sending three Japanese bombers crashing toward the sea in flames, contributing materially to the total destruction of five enemy bombers and five fighters and to the damaging of a sixth fighter by his group. Lieutenant Keely’s superb airmanship and valiant fighting spirit in the face of grave peril were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.