The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Commander Lewis Elliot Coley, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commanding Officer of the Destroyer U.S.S. ALDEN (DD-211), in a torpedo attack against superior enemy Japanese forces in the Java Sea on 27 February 1942. Skillfully maneuvering his ship, torpedo hits were scored on Japanese cruisers in the face of heavy gunfire from the enemy, marking a courageous and determined handling of his ship. Lieutenant Commander Coley’s aggressive spirit and high type of leadership in action are in accord with the best traditions of the United States Naval Service.