The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Chief Medical Service Warrant W-4 John Joseph Stankaitis (NSN: 406369), United States Navy, for heroism displayed at the risk of his own life in saving another on 10 December 1960, while attacked to the U.S. Naval Station, Guam, Marianas Island. Chief Medial Service Warrant W-4 Stankaitis swam into a turbulent and treacherous riptide, the danger of which was clearly known to him, in order to save the life of a fellow man by supporting him from drowning for thirty minutes until a helicopter could remove both men from the water. The courage and compassion he exhibited reflect great credit upon himself and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.