The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Captain Chester Clark Wood (NSN: 0-58933), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as Officer in Tactical Command of VD-69, a Radar Picket Station, and as Sector Commander in the Anti-Submarine Screen during operations against enemy Japanese forces off Okinawa Jima, from 3 May to 21 June 1945. With his unit a frequent target for many extraordinarily heavy hostile air raids, launched day and night against our expeditionary force at Okinawa, Captain Wood performed the vital functions of providing early air warning and fighter direction which, together with his ships’ gunfire, accounted for large numbers of enemy planes and prevented air attacks in strength on the Naval forces off the beachhead. When two friendly ships, the U.S.S. HADLEY and the U.S.S. EVANS, were severely damaged by hostile suicide planes, he supervised the rescue and salvage operations. His steadfast courage and perseverance in the face of tremendous odds were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.