The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant [then Lieutenant, Junior Grade] Carl Nicholas DeTemple (NSN: 0-251079), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Dive Bomber in Bombing Squadron TEN (VB-10), attached to the U.S.S. ENTERPRISE (CV-6), during action against enemy Japanese forces in the vicinity of the Mariana Islands, on 12 and 20 June 1944. An aggressive combat pilot, Lieutenant DeTemple selected a large cargo vessel as his target during a strike against enemy shipping on 12 June and, executing a skillful dive-bombing attack, scored a direct hit amidships with resultant explosions and severe damage to the hostile ship. Participating in a fierce attack against the main Japanese Fleet during the First Battle of the Philippine Sea on 20 June, he bombed an enemy warship and started a fire, possibly sinking the Japanese ship. By his brilliant airmanship, courageous fighting spirit and unswerving devotion to duty, Lieutenant DeTemple contributed materially to the success of our operations in those engagements, and his great personal valor in the face of grave peril was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.