COMMANDER RICHARD ROCKWELL PRATT, United States Navy. For extraordinary heroism as Commanding Officer of U.S.S. HUDSON during operations against enemy Japanese forces in the vicinity of Okinawa Gunto on May 4, 1945. When a nearby friendly escort aircraft carrier was set afire by a Japanese suicide plane, causing numerous explosions, intense heat and suffocating smoke, Commander Pratt placed his destroyer alongside the maneuvering and blazing vessel. Despite fires aboard his own ship when a jettisoned plane ignited among the depth charges, he continued to assist the flaming carrier and contributed materially to the extinguishing of the flames and to saving the stricken ship. By his leadership, courage and devotion to duty, Commander Pratt upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

RADM Pratt joined the L.O.V. in 1987 and resides in New Hampshire.

View RADM Pratt’s Navy Cross citation.