The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Distinguished Service Medal to Vice Admiral Alexander Sharp, 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 a battleship division and commander of a major task force in the Atlantic from November 1941 to October 1944. Admiral Sharp discharged the multiple responsibilities of his command with splendid success and consistently maintained his forces in a high state of combat efficiency. As Commander, Service Force, he furnished effective logistic support for naval forces afloat in the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic and for outlying bases in the Atlantic and European theaters.

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 Rear Admiral Alexander Sharp, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States as Commander Minecraft, Pacific Fleet, from 14 October 1944 to 2 September 1945 in support of the Philippine Islands and Ryukyus campaigns and the assault on Iwo Jima. Rear Admiral Sharp directed the minecraft under his command with marked efficiency as evidenced by the small number of U.S. vessels mined during these offensive operations. In addition, personnel of his command served with the 20th Air Force and FairWing ONE as technical representatives for the program to effect the aerial mining of the waters of Japan and Bonins and southern Korea as a feature of the blockade of the Empire. His outstanding professional ability, forceful leadership and inspiring devotion to duty throughout the final months of intensified hostilities were contributing factors in the defeat of the Japanese.