The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant, Junior Grade Arnold C. Traxler (NSN: 0-240486), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Torpedo Plane in Torpedo Squadron SEVENTEEN (VT-17), attached to the U.S.S. HORNET (CV-12), assigned to attack enemy Fleet units in the Kure Bay area of Honshu, Japan, on 19 March 1945. Despite very intense anti-aircraft fire, and the handicap of manually operating his plane’s bomb bay release which had suffered a hydraulic failure, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Traxler skillfully and aggressively piloted his plane in a glide bombing attack against an enemy battleship, scoring three direct hits. His skilled airmanship, courage and devotion to duty upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.