The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Senior Chief Aviation Structural Mechanic Douglas E. Lowery, United States Navy, for heroic conduct in rescuing two men from a blazing vehicle on U.S. Highway 395 in San Diego, California, on the early evening of 22 November 1961. One of the first to reach the scene of the accident in which an automobile collided with another, rolled over, and burst into flames, Senior Chief Lowery, along with a companion, immediately rushed to the burning vehicle, loosened the seat belts of the two occupants, and succeeded in removing the victims to safety.