Henry Clay Bearden

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Henry Clay Bearden (0-301183), Ensign, U.S. Navy (Reserve), for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Dive Bomber in Bombing Squadron TWENTY (VB-20), embarked from the U.S.S. ENTERPRISE (CV-6), during action against units of the Japanese Fleet in waters west of the Central Philippine Islands during the Battle for Leyte Gulf on 25 October 1944. Flying as wingman on a search and attack mission when an enemy task force was sighted and his division was assigned an aircraft carrier as a target, Ensign Bearden defied the withering barrages of antiaircraft fire to dive low over the hostile warship and release his bombs at perilously low altitude to score direct hits which started fires and contributed materially to the infliction of extensive damage on the Japanese vessel. His superb airmanship, inspiring courage and unwavering devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon Ensign Bearden and the United States Naval Service.

Commander, 1st Carrier Task Force, Pacific: Serial 035 (January 20, 1945)