The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Rear Admiral George Wightman McElroy, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility as Inspector of Machinery of Vessels Building at the works of the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Company, at Quincy and Squantum, Massachusetts, and boiler plant at Providence, Rhode Island, also of vessels building by George Lawley & Company, South Boston, Massachusetts.