The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Chief Gunner’s Mate John Bowen, United States Navy (Reserve Force), for extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty on the occasion of a fire on the U.S.S. CLEVELAND at sea, on 16 February 1918. Chief Gunner’s Mate Bowen, with others descended, into a compartment over the after magazine filled with smoke and suffocating fumes and successfully extinguished the fire after forty-five minutes work.