The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Robert Harold Anderson (NSN: 0-106429), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Bomber in Bombing Fighting Squadron EIGHTY (VBF-80), attached to the U.S.S. HANCOCK (CV19), while participating in an aerial flight against enemy forces on 14 December 1944, in the vicinity of the Philippine Islands. Lieutenant Anderson led a division of planes in an eight-plane formation and when an enemy formation of twenty-seven planes was encountered, he led the attack on the enemy formation despite the numerical odds and during the ensuing engagement shot down five enemy planes and probably shot down another enemy plane. When his wingman was under attack by an enemy plane and while he was almost out of ammunition, he dove on the enemy plane and forced the enemy plane to break off from the attack. His courage and skill were at all times inspiring and in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.