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 Thomas J. Sheridan, Jr., United States Army, for heroism involving voluntary risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy, in assisting in rescuing a woman from a burning cabin cruiser in Narragansett Bay, near Fort Adams, Rhode Island, on 14 July 1941. On hearing cries for help coming from a burning cabin cruiser occupied by a man and a woman, approximately one-half mile from shore, Private Sheridan, with utter disregard of personal safety, voluntarily swam through treacherous waters to the burning boat. Upon being told that there was grave danger of a more serious explosion aboard, he assisted in lowering into the water the woman occupant, unable to swim, into the hands of two other enlisted men who had also swum out to the boat. Seeing that the woman was in good hands, he then remained on board with extreme risk to his own life due to the imminent danger of the main gas tank exploding, assisted in trying to extinguish the fire raging in both cabins, until the boat was finally towed to dock by mine yawls and the remaining fires extinguished. The heroism displayed by Private Sheridan on this occasion reflects great credit upon himself and the military service.