The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Ensign Joseph Anton Ekar, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession while serving as Commander of the Ready Duty Patrol Plane, Fleet Air Detachment, San Diego, California, on 10 January 1942. Ensign Ekar accomplished the successful rescue at sea of Captain Graham E. Benson, USMC, and Corporal C. S. Pierson, USMC, who, after a forced landing of their plane, were adrift at sea in a small aviation emergency rubber boat. When the rescue boat he directed to their aid became disabled, he skillfully and courageously landed his plane in a very unfavorable sea and took off parallel to the swells without injury to any personnel or to his plane.