The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Seaman Second Class Garnett C. DeBaun, United States Naval Reserve, for heroism involving voluntary risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy, as members of an Armed Guard crew of a United States merchant vessel during the torpedoing and sinking of his vessel by an enemy submarine during World War II. Seaman Second Class DeBaun, with utter disregard for his own safety, remained aboard to help an injured shipmate. He dragged the injured man to the rail, shoved him over the side along with a life raft, and then jumped in after him and kept him afloat until they were both picked up by a rescuing vessel.