The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) to Lieutenant John Holme Ballantine, Jr. (NSN: 0-121823), United States Navy, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight against the enemy during the Second Battle of the Philippine Sea, 24 to 26 October 1944. As pilot of a carrier-based Torpedo Aircraft, he participated in torpedo attacks which severely crippled an enemy battleship Task Force. The action, in which he was an integral part, successfully accomplished in the face of intense and accurate anti-aircraft barrages, removed a serious threat to our ground forces in the Philippine Islands. His outstanding courage and determined skill, and his utter disregard of his own personal safety, were at all times in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
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Awards Received
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Distinguished Flying Cross
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Distinguished Flying Cross
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant, Junior Grade John Holme Ballantine, Jr. (NSN: 0-121823), United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement in the line of his profession while participating in aerial flights in the Atlantic Area as pilot of a U.S. Navy Torpedo Bomber plane. Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Ballantine was participating in anti-submarine scouting patrol on 14 July 1943 when an enemy submarine was sighted. Immediately on completion of strafing attacks by a companion plane he went into action and attacked. The attack was extremely accurate, a direct hit being scored on the submerging submarine. On 23 July 1943, while searching an area in which an enemy submarine had been previously attacked, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Ballantine sighted a submerged submarine. Unable himself to make an attack because of his inability to keep the submarine in sight, he directed a destroyer to the submarine’s position and later effectively depth charged the U-Boat. The actions described above in which one submarine was probably destroyed as a result of coordinated aircraft attacks, and another was subjected to deliberate depth charge attacks by a surface ship through the intelligent and persistent search of Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Ballantine reflect great credit upon the United States Naval Service.