The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Thomas Blau, United States Navy (Reserve Force), for distinguished service in the line of his profession as Officer in Charge of the party sent from the U.S.S. MAY to the S.S. WESTWARD HO, which had been torpedoed and abandoned by her crew, as a result of which this ship was salvaged and towed, stern-first, for a distance of 315 miles, and the ship and her valuable cargo saved.