The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Aviation Machinist’s Mate First Class Harold J. Higgins, United States Naval Reserve, for heroic conduct when a fire enveloped a large group of live depth charges on a truck at the Naval Air Station, Norfolk, Virginia, on 17 September 1943. Aviation Machinist’s Mate First Class Higgins rushed toward the blaze with a hand-held extinguisher and worked desperately to check the flames until a moment before the charges exploded and he was seriously injured.