The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Chief Draftsman John L. P. Flanagan, United States Navy, for heroism at the risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy while serving as a Diver, attached to U.S.S. GREENLET (ASR-10), during the attempted salvage operations on U.S.S. STICKLEBACK (SS-415) in rough waters south of Oahu, Territory of Hawaii, on 29 May 1958. Although STICKLEBACK was constantly in danger of sinking without warning, Chief Draftsman Flanagan voluntarily entered the buoyancy tank and the number one main ballast tank with salvage air hoses and assisted in securing these hoses. Persisting in his efforts to salvage the ship until seriously injured by the heavy wave action, he was subsequently removed from the submarine.