The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to First Lieutenant Aaron Cranford, United States Marine Corps, for heroism while serving as Supply Officer, 3d Reconnaissance Battalion, 3d Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, on 23 April 2017. First Lieutenant Cranford and three other Marine Officers witnessed three other divers in distress caught within the surf zone at Onna Point on the western shore of Okinawa. After ensuring that his dive group had reached a safe point to exit the water, First Lieutenant Cranford returned to the surf zone at risk to his own life to begin rescuing the divers. The first diver immediately gripped First Lieutenant Cranford’s buoyancy control device in order to stay afloat. Following rescue diver procedures, First Lieutenant Cranford subdued the distressed diver and was able to manipulate his posture to a safe position to bring him to the shore. Upon turning over the diver to personnel closer to shore, First Lieutenant Cranford returned two more times to bring in two additional divers. During the period he was rescuing the divers, onlookers from the beach had also seen the distressed divers and began wading across the reef to assist. Despite verbal warnings to stay back, one individual continued into the surf zone and was subsequently caught in the rip current. First Lieutenant Cranford, having ensured the safety of the divers, returned to the surf zone for the last time and placed the man on top of himself to keep him buoyant and away from the coral reef as he guided him to the shore, sustaining cuts and abrasions due to being raked across the coral reef. By his courageous and prompt actions in the face of great personal risk to his own life, First Lieutenant Cranford prevented the loss of life, thereby reflecting great credit upon himself and upholding the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.