The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Chief Boatswain’s Mate Peter K. Sorensen, United States Navy, for distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commander of the Armed Guard of the S.S. Platuria. On 15 September 1917, a torpedo was sighted just before it struck the ship. The boats on one side were wrecked by the explosion and the ship listed heavily and turned bottom up in seven minutes. The Commander of the Armed Guard jumped off the bridge as the vessel was going down, and was rescued. The enemy submarine came to the surface and picked up men in the water. The Commander of the Armed Guard is considered to have handled the situation in a highly commendable manner.