The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Lieutenant Commander (MC) Dale L. Larson, United States Navy, for heroic conduct while serving on board U.S.S. RANGER (CVA-61) on the night of 13 April 1965. During a serious fire in the number one main machinery room, Lieutenant Commander Larson, though he had been trapped by heavy smoke for about 30 minutes without any artificial breathing apparatus, unhesitatingly broke away from a group of personnel evacuating the spaces and entered a smoke-filled isolation ward to rescue a hospitalized patient. By his prompt and courageous actions in the face of great personal risk, he undoubtedly saved the patient from suffocation.