The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star to Lieutenant [then Lieutenant, Junior Grade] Cornelius Nicholas Nooy (NSN: 0-177027), United States Naval Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Fighter Plane and Division Leader in Fighting Squadron THIRTY-ONE (VF-31), attached to the U.S.S. BELLEAU WOOD (CVL-24), in action against enemy Japanese forces in the vicinity of Nageys, Japan, on 25 July 1945. When his group was attacked by a superior number of enemy planes while strafing a hostile airfield, Lieutenant Nooy warned his flight of the approaching enemy and, initiating an attack, shot down a hostile plane off the tail of a friendly aircraft. With the remainder of the flight forming a defensive circle, he climbed to a higher altitude to act as a decoy and drive off the enemy until his group could gain altitude and re-joining his division, succeeded in shooting down three more hostile planes and probably destroying a fourth. His expert airmanship, courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant [then Lieutenant, Junior Grade] Cornelius Nicholas Nooy (NSN: 0-177027), United States Naval Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Fighter Plane in Fighting Squadron THIRTY-ONE (VF-31), attached to the U.S.S. CABOT (CVL-28), in action on 24 July 1945, in action against enemy Japanese forces in the vicinity of the Philippine Islands, on 13 September 1944. Participating in a pre-dawn take-off to strike against a vastly superior number of enemy planes, Lieutenant Nooy pressed home his attacks at perilously low altitudes through intense enemy anti-aircraft fire to shoot down two of the planes. When his guns burned out as he was attacking a third plane, he skillfully maneuvered above the Japanese aircraft and forced him to crash into a hillside in flames. His resourceful initiative, combat efficiency and devotion to duty contributed materially to the success of the operation and reflected the highest credit upon Lieutenant Nooy and the United States Naval Service.