The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Commander [then Lieutenant Commander] Herbert Norman Houck (NSN: 0-77679), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism as Pilot of a Navy Fighter Plane and Executive Officer and Division Leader of Fighting Squadron NINE (VF-9), attached to the U.S.S. ESSEX (CV-9), during operations against enemy Japanese forces at Rabaul Harbor, New Britain, on 11 November 1943. Preceding our bomber formations, commander Houck joined other members of his squadron in strafing the enemy’s powerful shore batteries and combatant ships in the harbor and, defying the tremendous concentration of anti-aircraft fire in the Harbor area and the repeated onslaughts of intercepting enemy planes, aided materially in coordinating the efforts of our fighters and bombing attack. Later the same day, Commander Houck led a flight of fighters against counter-attacking Japanese aircraft striking at our Task Force and personally destroyed three of the enemy in addition to assisting in the destruction of two others. By his leadership, skill and aggressiveness, Commander Houck contributed materially to the defense of our Task Force. His conduct throughout upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Commander Herbert Norman Houck (NSN: 0-77679), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism and outstanding performance in aerial flight against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Fighter Plane and Commanding Officer of Fighting Squadron NINE (VF-9), attached to the U.S.S. ESSEX (CV-9), in action on 16 February 1944, at Truk in the Caroline Islands. Lieutenant Commander Houck led his squadron in a pre-dawn attack against the Japanese stronghold in Truk Atoll, Caroline Islands. This was the first strike of World War II against this great keystone of the Japanese inner line of defenses. In the semi-light of early morning his squadron made repeated strafing attacks on grounded enemy planes at Param bomber strip and Moen seaplane base. Despite enemy fighter interception and in the face of heavy, accurate anti-aircraft fire, these attacks were pressed home and resulted in the destruction of twenty-seven planes on the ground with many more damaged. He accounted for six of the planes destroyed. In addition, twenty-one of the attacking Japanese fighters were shot down by his squadron. Two of these were shot down by Lieutenant Commander Houck himself. Later that same day, he led a group of fighters as escort for dive bombers and torpedo planes that attacked Japanese naval and merchant shipping in Truk Atoll. In the face of extremely heavy and accurate anti-aircraft fire, his escort group preceded the bombing attack by strafing enemy ships and the airfield at Eten Island, thereby diverting anti-aircraft fire from the bombers and causing extensive damage to ships, grounded aircraft and base facilities. His leadership, courage and individual actions contributed greatly to the success of the mission as a whole and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.