James M. Barnes

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to James M. Barnes (0-354857), Ensign, U.S. Navy (Reserve), for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Night Fighter Plane in Fighting Squadron EIGHTY-THREE (VF-83), embarked from the U.S.S. ESSEX (CV-9), in action against enemy Japanese forces on a Night Target Combat Air Patrol in the vicinity of the Island of Okinawa in the Ryukyu Islands, on 6 April 1945. During this flight Ensign Barnes intercepted three separate groups of enemy planes attacking our combatant vessels and landing craft and, with unusual skill and courage, shot down four of them. His courage in pressing home these attacks in the face of a superior number of enemy planes, and the skill which he exhibited in destroying them, was at all times in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Commander, 1st Carrier Task Force, Pacific: Serial 0960 (July 6, 1945)