The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Chief Gunner’s Mate Oscar Schmidt, Jr., United States Navy, for gallant conduct and extraordinary heroism while attached to the U.S.S. Chestnut Hill, on the occasion of the explosion and subsequent fire on board the U.S. Submarine Chaser 219, on 9 October 1918. Chief Gunner’s Mate Schmidt, seeing a man, whose legs were partly blown off, hanging on a line from the bow of the 219, jumped overboard, swam to the sub chaser and carried him from the bow to the stern where a member of the 219’s crew helped him land the man on the afterdeck of the submarine. Schmidt then endeavored to pass through the flames amidships to get another man who was seriously burned. This he was unable to do, but when the injured man fell overboard and drifted to the stern of the chaser, Schmidt helped him aboard.