Roy Bale Dalton

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Roy Bale Dalton (112372), Lieutenant Commander [then Lieutenant], U.S. Navy, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Fighter Plane and Flight of Fighter Planes in Fighting Squadron EIGHTY-TWO (VF-82), attached to the U.S.S. BENNINGTON (CV-20), in action against enemy Japanese forces in the East China Sea, on 24 March 1945. After conducting a long search, Lieutenant Commander Dalton located a hostile convoy and directed other squadrons to the scene. Then leading his own division in an attack on a Japanese warship, he contributed materially to its sinking. Later, he made repeated attacks on both enemy merchant ships and escorting warships and assisted in the destruction of the entire convoy. His leadership, courage and devotion to the completion of a hazardous mission were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.