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 First Class Carl C. Lewis (ASN: 6555871), United States Army Air Corps, for heroism at the risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy, while serving with Base Headquarters and 4th Air Base Squadron, GHQ Air Force, in rescuing civilians from drowning during a flood at Riverside, California, on 2-3 March 1938. On the night of 2 March 1938, when the dam of a lake burst releasing a mass of water into an already flooded area, the lives of a large number of men, women, and children marooned in trees and vehicles in the path of the onrushing flood were endangered and several were drowned. Private First Class Lewis, driver of an Army truck carrying a rescue party, with consummate skill and utter disregard of his personal safety drove the truck twice into the flooded area over an ill-defined water-covered highway, where the pressure of the flood waters threatened momentarily to sweep the truck off the road, and by so doing enabled the rescue party in the truck to remove all remaining refugees in the vicinity, thereby saving their lives. On 3 March 1938 Private First Class Lewis and two companions went to the aid of a civilian marooned in a tree and after perilously wading through the deep, swift flood waters for a considerable distance, reached the exhausted man and removed him to safety. The heroism displayed by Private First Class Lewis on these occasions reflects great credit upon himself and the military service.