The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Ray U. Plant, Jr. (NSN: 0-97556), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Torpedo Plane in Torpedo Squadron EIGHTY-THREE (VT-83), attached to the U.S.S. ESSEX (CV-9), in the coordinated bombing attack against enemy Japanese Fleet units at the Kure Naval Base, Honshu, Japan, on 19 March 1945. Lieutenant Plant skillfully and courageously piloted his aircraft in a bombing attack against major units of the enemy fleet including aircraft carriers, battleships, cruisers and destroyers. In spite of the intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire from enemy warships and gun emplacements which shot off half of the tail empennage of his plane while in his dive at five thousand feet, he pressed home his attack and scored a direct hit with his bomb which contributed materially to the damage of the enemy carrier. His skill and courage were at all times in keeping with the United States Naval Service.