The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION to the

CITATION:

“For extraordinary heroism in action as a fighter director ship on a radar picket station during the Okinawa campaign, April 1 to June 17, 1945. A natural and frequent target of heavy Japanese aerial attack while occupying advanced and isolated stations, the U.S.S. COWELL defeated all efforts of the enemy Kamikaze and dive-bombing planes to destroy her. Constantly vigilant and ready for battle day and night, she sent out early air warnings, provided fighter direction and, with her own fierce gunfire downed ten hostile enemy planes, shared in the destruction of others and routed many more; she launched an attack on hostile surface craft of torpedo-boat type at night and destroyed two by her superb gunfire; for a total of 36 days in the Transport Area, she rendered valiant service in preventing the Japanese from striking in force the Naval Forces off the Okinawa beachhead. A valiant, fighting ship, the COWELL, her officers and her men withstood the stress and perils of vital Radar Picket duty, achieving a valiant combat record which attests the teamwork, courage and skill of her entire company and enhances the finest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”