The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to First Lieutenant Lawrence Noble Crawley (MCSN: 0-30445), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as Pilot of a Fighter Plane in Marine Fighting Squadron THREE HUNDRED TWENTY-THREE (VMF-323), Marine Air Group THIRTY-THREE (MAG-33), FOURTH Marine Aircraft Wing, in aerial combat against enemy Japanese forces in the Ryukyu Islands, on 11 May 1945. When his flight intercepted a numerically superior force of Japanese planes attacking friendly shipping, First Lieutenant Crawley engaged the enemy in fierce combat, delivering accurate gunfire to blast four of the hostile aircraft from the sky and contributed to the success of his squadron in destroying the remainder. His superb skill as an airman and gallant devotion to duty throughout reflect the highest credit upon First Lieutenant Crawley and the United States Naval Service.