The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Jack Baldwin Dawley, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Commander of a Navy Patrol Plane in Patrol Squadron ONE HUNDRED ONE (VP-101), Patrol Wing TEN (PatWing-10), which participated in a bombing attack on a Japanese Naval force consisting of a cruiser, destroyers and transports, at Jolo, Sulu, Philippine Islands, on the morning of 27 December 1941. With his plane damaged by accurate enemy Japanese anti-aircraft fire and effective fighter plane attacks, the leader of his formation missing and in the face of overwhelming odds, Lieutenant Dawley dived his patrol plane and attacked with bombs the enemy vessels, inflicting heavy damage. Thereafter, his plane having been set afire, he successfully landed off the coast of Jolo Island, subsequently leading the surviving members of his plane crew and one other PBY to the U.S. Naval Headquarters, Surabaya, Java, Netherlands East Indies. Lieutenant Dawley’s outstanding courage and determined skill were at all times inspiring and in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.