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 First Lieutenant (Coast Artillery Corps) Howard L. Rivers, United States Army, for heroism involving voluntary risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy. At great personal risk and without hesitation, First Lieutenant Rivers went to the aid of a drowning soldier two miles off shore in Delaware Bay, on 23 June 1945. the soldier, a member of a near-by working party, having fallen overboard and unable to swim, was being swept away by the strong current in the choppy seas then prevailing. Disregarding the known danger, Lieutenant Rivers immediately dived from a nearby boat and with great effort reached the drowning soldier, and despite the latter’s struggles kept him afloat until another swimmer and a boat came to the rescue. First Lieutenant Rivers’ courageous action reflects great credit upon himself as well as the Armed Forces of the United States.