The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant [then Lieutenant, Junior Grade] Zeigel Winston Neff, United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Fighter Plane of Fighting Squadron SIXTEEN (VF-16), attached to the U.S.S. LEXINGTON (CV-16), in action against enemy Japanese forces in the First Battle of the Philippine Sea, on 19 June 1944. When our Naval forces were attacked by several enemy torpedo planes, Lieutenant Neff immediately engaged the hostile aircraft and, pressing home his attacks, blasted one of the enemy planes from the sky and contributed materially to breaking up the attack. While escorting two of our torpedo planes in a search for enemy Naval units later the same day, he intercepted eight to ten enemy fighters and, single-handedly engaging the hostile formation, shot down at least two of the enemy fighters and saved our torpedo planes from almost certain damage or destruction by the enemy group. On the return flight to base, he also destroyed an enemy reconnaissance type float plane. His cool courage, indomitable fighting spirit and devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service.