Ralph Louis Shifley

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Ralph Louis Shifley, Commander, U.S. Navy, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Plane in Air Group EIGHT (AG-8), embarked from the U.S.S. BUNKER HILL (CV-17), in action on 20 June 1944, during an attack against the Japanese Fleet in the Marianas Islands during the First Battle of the Philippine Sea. By his airmanship and cool courage in the face of tremendous odds, Commander Shifley contributed materially to the infliction of extensive and costly damage on the Japanese Fleet in this decisive engagement and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.