The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Ensign Vincent Smiley (NSN: 0-391172), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Torpedo Plane in Torpedo Squadron NINETY-FOUR (VT-94), attached to the U.S.S. LEXINGTON (CV-16), in action against the enemy at the important fleet anchorage near Kure, Honshu, on 28 July 1945. While participating in a coordinated attack upon major units of the Japanese Fleet in their heavily-defended anchorage, Ensign Smiley pressed home his attack despite intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire from shore positions and from the several ships dispersed throughout the area, scoring a direct hit on a heavy cruiser, his assigned target, contributing materially to its destruction. On retirement from the target, his plane was badly hit in the starboard wing, whereupon he skillfully and courageously nursed the damaged plane two hundred and ten miles to his carrier in very bad weather conditions, knowing that the wing might fail in any gust of air or unusual strain. His heroic conduct and determination to inflict damage upon the enemy were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.