The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Ensign Carter L. Beard (NSN: 0-615051), United States Navy, for heroism while serving as First Lieutenant on board U.S.S. DE HAVEN (DD-727), on 10 May 1958. During the night of 9 – 10 May 1958, while at sea in the vicinity of the Marshall Islands, a boat containing four men sank, leaving the four men adrift. Three of the four men were recovered without incident. However, the last man, Third Mate Page A. Secor of U.S.N.S. T-LST 664 was physically exhausted from his efforts to aid the others in the water and from his battle with the sea as coxswain of the LCVP. He was unable to hang onto a line put into the water for him because of his exhausted condition and the strains put on him and the line by the combined action of 8 to 12 foot waves and the roll of the ship, and commenced to drift astern of DE HAVEN. Realizing that Secor might not survive through another approach by the ship, Ensign Beard, without regard for his personal safety, jumped over the side of the ship and swam to the exhausted man carrying a life ring tended on the ship with him. Ensign Beard managed to grasp Secor with one arm and the life ring with the other, and to hold onto both through the terrific stresses placed on his arms by the action of the roll of the ship and the waves. Ensign Beard and Secor were forced under water by the waves time and again as they were worked alongside, but Ensign Beard was able to hold on, and the rescue was successful. Ensign Beard’s courage in placing his own life in jeopardy to rescue a fellow seaman is in keeping with the many fine acts of heroism which, throughout the history of the naval service, have established for it the reputation for valiant and fearless conduct in the face of danger.