The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Personnelman First Class Gene N. Meier, United States Navy, for heroic conduct in attempting to rescue an occupant of a car that had plunged into a lake at Little Creek, Norfolk, Virginia, on the morning of 16 January 1965. Upon observing that a car had skidded off the highway and into the water, Personnelman First Class Meier stopped his own car, entered the icy water and swam to the spot where another rescuer was attempting to save one of the occupants of the car, who apparently could not swim. When the struggling victim slipped from the grasp of the two men and disappeared beneath the surface of the water, Personnelman First Class Meier made several attempts to locate him but was unable to do so.