John Devereux Blitch

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to John Devereux Blitch (0-77143), Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier- based Navy Dive Bomber in Bombing Squadron FOURTEEN (VB-14), embarked from the U.S.S. WASP (CV-18), in action against the enemy fleet in the vicinity of the East Philippine Sea on 20 June 1944. While acting as strike leader of a force of carrier- based aircraft, Lieutenant Commander Blitch led his strike to the absolute maximum range of his dive bombing aircraft in search of units of the Japanese fleet. After sighting a group of enemy tankers but no major combatant units of the enemy force, he then led his flight on a search for enemy carriers fifty miles to the south, well-knowing that the fuel remaining in his dive bombing planes including his own plane would probably not permit a safe return to friendly forces. After failing to find enemy forces to the south, he led his aircraft back to the force of enemy tankers and destroyers and in the face of heavy anti-aircraft fire, of all types, and enemy fighter opposition, conducted an effective and damaging attack on them with the planes under his control, which resulted in the sinking of two tankers of supply ships, one destroyer, the damaging of two tankers and one destroyer, and the destruction of five enemy aircraft. By his brilliant airmanship, aggressive fighting spirit and unwavering devotion to duty, Lieutenant Commander Blitch contributed materially to the success of our operations in this historic engagement, and his great personal valor in the face of grave peril was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Commander, 1st Carrier Task Force, Pacific: Serial 0543 (September 16, 1944)