The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Coxswain William J. Hennessey, United States Navy, for devotion to duty and heroic conduct when the steamer S.S. ACTAEON was torpedoed by a German submarine and sunk on the night of 24 November 1917. Coxswain Hennessey remained at his gun until everyone else was leaving the ship. He also showed excellent conduct while adrift in a small boat.