The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Aviation Chief Machinist’s Mate Robert E. Dearen, United States Naval Reserve, for heroic conduct when his plane crashed near Devil’s Island, Nova Scotia, on 8 December 1941. Aviation Chief Machinist’s Mate Dearen, although suffering from shock and injuries, let himself down into the cold water to reach the rubber emergency boat and pulled loose the life raft retaining strap with his teeth, dragged the raft out of the plane, and put it into commission.