The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Commander Louis Lee Bangs (NSN: 0-98685), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Dive Bomber in Bombing Squadron TEN (VB-10), attached to the U.S.S. ENTERPRISE (CV-6), while participating in aerial combat against the Japanese Fleet in the Mariana Islands, during the First Battle of the Philippine Sea, on 20 June 1944. Participating in a daring strike against the main Japanese Fleet, Lieutenant Commander Bangs selected an enemy aircraft carrier as his target and, skillfully maneuvering his plane to evade fierce enemy fighter opposition, executed a dive-bombing attack on the enemy vessel and scored a direct hit, thereby severely damaging the hostile ship. By his brilliant airmanship, aggressive fighting spirit and unwavering devotion to duty, Lieutenant Commander Bangs contributed materially to the success of our operations in this historic engagement, and his great personal valor in the face of grave peril was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.