Captain
JOHN PERRY WHITNEY
U.S. Navy
Commanding Officer
USS KITKUN BAY (CVE 71)
NAVY CROSS
THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY
Washington
The President of the United States takes pride in
Presenting the NAVY CROSS to
JOHN PERRY WHITNEY, CAPTAIN
UNITED STATES NAVY
for service as set forth in the following
CITATION:
"The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Captain John Perry Whitney, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commanding Officer of the Escort Carrier U.S.S. KITKUN BAY (CVE-71), during a running surface and air engagement with major elements of the Japanese Fleet near the Island of Samar in Philippine waters during the Battle of Leyte Gulf on 25 October 1944. The forces involved in this engagement consisted of a small United States Task Unit of six escort carriers, including the KITKUN BAY, three destroyers, and four destroyer escorts against a Japanese Task Force composed of an estimated force of four battleships, five heavy cruisers, three light cruisers, and about ten destroyers. This surface action in which he was engaged is without precedent in the annals of Naval Warfare both in composition of forces involved and numbers of enemy forces engaged. By his superb seamanship he constantly maneuvered his ship to avoid enemy shellfire with such outstanding skill that he brought his ship safely through the engagement virtually unscathed. His cool demeanor in the face of overwhelming odds was an inspiration to all hands. His courage and determination to fight his ship to its utmost was reflected in the spirit of his officers and men in launching aircraft and performing their other duties while shells were falling on all sides. While continuously exposed to strafing, shrapnel, and shellfire, he displayed the highest degree of bold, aggressive, and fearless leadership which was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."
For the President,
/s/ James Forrestal
Secretary of the Navy