The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Yeoman Second Class Richard P. Curran, United States Navy, for heroic conduct on the night of 17 June 1961 while serving on board U.S.S. CHOWANOC (ATF-100) in waters southwest of Sasebo, Kyushu Island, Japan. Volunteering to enter the wardroom of CHOWANOC to attempt to subdue an apparently deranged member of the crew who, armed with two pistols, was holding three of the ship’s officers prisoner, he and two comrades braved a hail of bullets to seize and overwhelm the crazed man.