The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant James William Kelley, United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Commanding Officer of the LCS-L-6, during operations against enemy Japanese forces in the vicinity of Okinawa Gunto on 4 May 1945. When a nearby friendly escort aircraft carrier was struck and severely damaged by an enemy suicide plane, Lieutenant Kelley placed his ship alongside the damaged vessel and supervised his crew in fighting the fires raging aboard the carrier, thereby contributing materially to the extinguishing of the flames and to saving the stricken ship. By his leadership, courage and devotion to duty, Lieutenant Kelley upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.