The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal (Posthumously) to Data Systems Technician Second Class Stephen Louis Hock (NSN: 9149543), United States Navy, for heroism on 29 July 1967, while serving aboard U.S.S. FORRESTAL (CVA-59) in the Gulf of Tonkin. When a fire broke out on the flight deck and swept through parked aircraft causing bomb detonations, Petty Officer Hock dashed to the scene and fought the fire and assisted survivors until driven back by heat and smoke. He then donned an oxygen breathing apparatus and returned to the blazing area to continue fighting fires and rescuing injured shipmates. He maintained this pace for hours until overcome by smoke and fumes while searching for survivors in a flooded, gas-filled compartment.