The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Lieutenant Richard L. Baker, United States Navy, for heroic service during the period 6 to 9 May 1963, in connection with the treatment of a commercial diver who was suffering from an extremely severe case of caisson disease. As Officer in Charge, U.S.S. CERO (AGSS-225), Lieutenant Baker, after being notified that the patient was en route to CERO, conferred briefly with a medical doctor diagnosing the case, and made the decision to attempt treatment by pressurizing the forward battery of the submarine. Fully aware of the possibility of sudden death from explosive decompression, in the even of failure of bulkhead packing glands, Lieutenant Baker entered the compartment to be medical tender for the victim throughout the entire treatment, which required a total time of approximately 56 hours.