The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant, Junior Grade Jack Dudley Wiegand (NSN: 0-156408), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Torpedo Plane and leader of a division of carrier-based torpedo planes of Torpedo Squadron ONE (VT-1), attached to the U.S.S. BENNINGTON (CV-20), in an attack against major units of the Japanese Fleet at the heavily-defended Kure Naval Base, on 24 July 1945. In spite of intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire from battleships, cruisers, destroyers and other men-of-war, augmented by fire from strategically located shore-based batteries of heavy and medium caliber, and in spite of adverse weather which made target identification difficult, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Wiegand pressed home a daring, glide bombing attack to low altitude upon a converted battleship, maneuvering his planes so skillfully that both he and his wingman scored direct hits upon the ship. As a result of the coordinated attack, serious damage was inflicted upon capital ships of the Japanese Navy. His courage, his professional skill, and his disregard for his personal safety were at all times in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.