The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Soldier’s Medal to Private John J. Donaldson (ASN: 32065215), United States Army, for heroism involving voluntary risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy while serving with the 509th Military Police Battalion, on 25 December 1944, in Belgium. When an army vehicle overturned and plunged into a canal, Private Donaldson voluntarily and at great risk dived into the icy water to assist in the rescue of eight soldiers. Upon learning that two additional men were in the cab of the truck, he made repeated dives in an effort to extricate the trapped victims but was unsuccessful in his desperate attempts to pry open the door of the cab. Though he was exhausted from prolonged exposure to freezing temperatures, Private Donaldson remained at the scene until a wrecker righted the overturned truck. Courageously, he again entered the water and assisted in removing the bodies of the two soldiers.