(Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: Staff Sergeant Brandon Mikalik, United States Marine Corps, was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for heroism at the risk of life in Newport News, Virginia, in October 2008. In the early morning hours, Staff Sergeant Mikalik was awakened by a loud crash outside the window of his apartment. He saw a vehicle on fire after it had crashed into a tree. Without regard for his own safety, he rushed out of his apartment and leaped a fence to render aid. Finding both the driver and passenger were unconscious in the burning vehicle, he braved the danger of imminent explosion to first remove the passenger. Yelling to two bystanders to assist him, he then freed the driver.