The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Fireman Second Class William Hayde, United States Naval Reserve, for heroic conduct when the SC 696 and SC 694 were set afire by bomb hits during the occupation of Palermo, Sicily, on 23 August 1943. Fireman Second Class Hayde disregarded his personal safety to fight fire during a heavy air raid. While engaged in fire-fighting, the ships were struck again by German bombs which caused them to blow up, and he suffered painful injuries.