Donald Ernest Ball

Seaman 1st Class, U. S. Navy

Silver Star

GENERAL ORDERS:
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Fireman Second Class Donald Ernest Ball (NSN: 6249203), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in the engagement and destruction of an enemy bombing plane.
On 20 April 1943, Fireman Second Class Ball, a member of the crew of LCT(5) #33, when attacked by an enemy plane, promptly manned his station as gunner of one of the two twenty millimeter machine guns aboard, and, although his craft had been in commission only eleven days and no target practices had been conducted, in the face of a low altitude bombing attack, handled his gun with such coolness, courage and skill that several hits were scored on the attacking plane. These hits set the plane afire and thereby caused its destruction. The gallantry and intrepidity displayed by Fireman Second Class Ball in the face of a hostile attack were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.