The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant William Rooney Bell (NSN: 0-88212), United States Naval Reserve, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as a pilot of a United States Navy carrier-based fighter plane on 30 July 1945. In operations on that date against Japanese shipping in Maizaru Harbor, Honshu, Japan, and while flying through intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire, he scored one direct bomb hit and two direct rocket hits on a Japanese Destroyer. The destroyer was seriously damaged. His courage and skill in carrying out this attack was at all times in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.