The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Commander John Hobart Rockwell, Jr., United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Torpedo Plane in Air Group NINETY-FOUR (AG-94), attached to the U.S.S. LEXINGTON (CV-16), in action against the enemy at the important fleet anchorage near Kure, Honshu, Japan, on 24 July 1945. As Squadron Commander and as pilot and leader of a flight of nine carrier based torpedo bombers, making a coordinated attack against major units of the Japanese Fleet in their heavily defended anchorage, in the face of intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire from harbor positions and from the several ships dispersed throughout the area, Lieutenant Commander Rockwell skillfully deployed his flight for attack runs against a battleship and a heavy cruiser, and pressed home his attack on the camouflaged ships, personally diving through broken clouds and scoring direct hits on the cruiser, leaving the ship listing and down by the stern. His outstanding leadership and initiative so facilitated the bombing of other pilots in his squadron that several hits were scored on the cruiser, and the battleship suffered damaging near misses. He then rendezvoused his flight over the Inland Sea of Japan and conducted the planes safely back to the Task Force, a distance of about 250 miles, without loss. His actions contributed materially to the destruction of both ships, and his determination and heroic conduct were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.