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 Specialist Fourth Class LeRoy R. Purdy, Jr., United States Army, for heroism at the risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy as a member of Battery C, 1st Missile Battalion (Hercules), 254th Artillery, on 27 September 1964, in South Plainfield, New Jersey. It was dawn when Specialist Purdy and a fellow soldier noticed that a house adjacent to the military installation was on fire. He immediately notified the unit’s switchboard operator to call the fire department and then ran to the scene of the fire to render assistance. With complete disregard for his own safety, he entered the burning dwelling, woke up a woman, and led her through the dense smoke to safety. After a local patrolmen arrived on the scene, Specialist Purdy, re-entered the blazing structure to search for other occupants and, when the patrolman became surrounded by flames and sustained eye burns, Specialist Purdy led him to safety. Specialist Purdy’s prompt action, sound judgment, and cure wrote conduct in this emergency are in the highest traditions of the United States Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the military service.