The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal (Posthumously) to Lieutenant (MC) Gerald Charles Griffin, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States while serving as a Naval Flight Surgeon aboard a U.S. Marine Corps helicopter which crashed and burned on a densely wooded mountain ridge while en route to an Army of the Republic of Vietnam command post on 6 October 1962. As one of five survivors of the initial crash and subsequent fire, Lieutenant Griffin, although sustaining serious injuries from which he later succumbed, immediately concerned himself with the condition of his squadron mates, lending them medical advice and words of encouragement throughout a five-hour wait for rescue personnel. When a doctor and Corpsman arrived by helicopter, Lieutenant Griffin steadfastly refused medical assistance for himself until the other survivors were cared for. During this period he aided the medical rescue team with his professional and technical knowledge.