The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal to Vice Admiral John Sidney McCain, Sr. (NSN: 0-5368), United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States while serving as Commander SECOND Carrier Task Force and Commander Task Force THIRTY-EIGHT, THIRD Fleet, during the period 1 November 1944 to 26 January 1945, in a series of highly successful offensive missions against the enemy including attacks on the Nansei Shoto Islands, Formosa, Luzon-Visayas Mindanao areas in the Philippine Islands, French Indo-China bases and Hong Kong-Canton Hainan areas, in support of Central and Southwest Pacific amphibious operations in the Palau Group, Ulithi Atoll, Morotai, and in the Philippine Islands. While under constant threat of attack by air, surface and submarines, the THIRD Fleet, to which Vice Admiral McCain was attached, repeatedly steamed for protracted periods in enemy waters and in close proximity to enemy-held territory and bases. During the entire period he successfully carried out all missions assigned his Task Force. In the face of determined enemy opposition, he consistently distinguished himself by great professional skill, high courage, and inspiring leadership. His conduct throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Second Gold Star in lieu of a Third Award of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal to Vice Admiral John Sidney McCain, Sr. (NSN: 0-5368), United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States as Commander of the SECOND Carrier Task Force and Commander Task Force THIRTY-EIGHT from 28 May to 1 September 1945. Vice Admiral McCain was the Officer in Tactical Command of Task Force THIRTY-EIGHT. Assuming command at a time when the Japanese air force had elected to rely on concealment and dispersal as its primary defense, and at a time when destruction of Japanese grounded aircraft had become extremely difficult, Vice Admiral McCain devised techniques and procedures which resulted in the ferreting out of concealed grounded Japanese aircraft, and the attacks carried out with these techniques resulted in the destruction of about three thousand Japanese aircraft during this period. His defensive measures were so effective that during the sustained attacks on the home islands of Japan from 10 July to 15 August, only one ship–a destroyer–of his force was damaged by enemy air attack. The operations of the aircraft of Task Force THIRTY-EIGHT against the remnants of the Japanese Navy resulted in the final destruction or crippling damage to every remaining major ship in the Japanese Navy by 28 July 1945. The unrelenting character of the carrier air attack during this period and the high quality of the tactical performance, from one of the brightest pages of the history of naval aviation. Vice Admiral McCain’s personal courage, unrelenting offensive spirit, and outstanding leadership were at all times in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.