The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal (Posthumously) to Lieutenant William Ralph Herzog (NSN: 0-137433), United States Navy, for heroism at the risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy as Officer-in-Charge of the United States Navy Armed Guard Crew on board a United States merchantman when that vessel was torpedoed and sunk on 29 October 1942. Lieutenant Herzog, his ship ablaze and rocked by explosions, was trapped amidships with several of his gun crew. He made courageous and determined efforts to free them by battering the jammed door with all the strength at his command. Stopping long enough to procure a gas mask for the radio operator, who was able to escape through a port hole, Lieutenant Herzog, despite the suffocating smoke and fumes from burning gasoline and paint, made one last effort to force the door by firing at it with his pistol before falling unconscious to the deck.