The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Ensign William T. Sorensen, United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Commander of a Navy Patrol Plane in Patrol Squadron FORTY-THREE (VP-43), Patrol Wing FOUR in the Aleutian Islands, Territory of Alaska, during the period 10 through 20 June 1942. Flying under extremely adverse weather conditions and facing heavy, concentraed anti-aircraft fire from enemy ship and shore batteries, Ensign Sorensen delivered repeated bombing and strafing attacks on Japanese ships in Kiska Harbor. With his own plane pierced by shrapnel and lighter caliber projectiles from enemy fire, he was forced to fly blind on pull-outs, avoiding the perilous cloud-obscured mountains surrounding the bay at Kiska. Despite the difficulties attendant upon the fulfillment of this important mission, Ensign Sorensen, after completing a daring dive-bombing attack in which his plane received over 100 bullet holes, succeeded in destroying three of a group of four enemy four-engined patrol planes by strafing. His courageous determination and superb airmanship displayed during this action were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.