The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Fireman Second Class Cecil Doron Brooks (NSN: 2727667), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving as a member of the boiler crew of No. 1 Fireroom aboard the U.S.S. YORKTOWN (CV-5), in action during the Battle of Midway, on 6 June 1942. During an intense bombing attack, an enemy bomb exploded in the uptakes of the forward group of boilers, extinguishing the fires in all boilers except Number 1 and filling all boiler rooms with heavy smoke and gases. The uptakes of Number 1 boiler were ruptured, the boiler casing was broken, brickwork had fallen into the furnace and the casing was red hot. In spite of the heat, imminence of explosion and stifling fumes, and with complete disregard for his personal safety, he, with the other members of his boiler crew, kept the boiler under steam with two burners still going and provided steam to keep the ship’s auxiliary power in operation. The sterling performance of duty of this boiler crew was directly responsible for the fact that sufficient repairs could be made to the engineering plant to enable the ship to make enough speed to launch fighting planes and to steam at 25 knots until hit by enemy torpedoes. His courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.