The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Commander Mark Valentine Montgomery, Jr. (NSN: 0-84036), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as First Pilot of a Navy Patrol Bomber and as Senior Pilot of a Three-Plane Flight of Patrol Bombing Squadron ONE HUNDRED EIGHTEEN (VPB-118), in action against the strongly defended Kanoya Airfield on Kyushu, Japan, on 3 May 1945. Assigned the extremely hazardous mission of neutralizing the growing air power of the enemy concentrated on Kanoya Airfield, Lieutenant Commander Montgomery led his large and comparatively slow Privateers in a perilous approach to Kyushu, decreasing altitude until the wash for their props left wakes on the water. Turning into Shibushi Bay, he climbed to 200 feet to locate the airfield, returned to his planes and launched a daring surprise attack, sweeping the full length of the field, where Japanese planes were landing and taking off, to drop twenty 100-pound incendiary bombs each, strafe barracks, planes and installations and leave many fires burning in the target area. While retiring, Lieutenant Commander Montgomery launched an attack with his remaining ammunition on a small freighter a few miles clear of the field. By his bold tactics, his courageous leadership and his gallant fighting spirit despite inadequate intelligence of the assigned target area, Lieutenant Commander Montgomery insured the success of a mission vital to the defense of the Fleet operating off Okinawa, thereby enhancing the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.