The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Commander Fred Clair Bailey, United States Navy (Reserve Force), for distinguished service in the line of his profession as Senior Assistant Engineer of the U.S.S. MOUNT VERNON when that vessel was torpedoed on 5 September 1918. When the torpedo struck, Lieutenant Commander Bailey immediately rushed below, closed the main steam bulkhead stops, and shifted over the feed lines from groups flooded by the explosions, thus preventing the steam from falling to a point where it would have been impossible to operate the main engines and maneuver the ship. This was a very important contribution toward the saving of the ship.