The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Ensign Raymond M. Burkett (NSN: 0-351030), United States Naval Reserve, for heroism in taxiing a burning plane from the immediate vicinity of a serious conflagration at a Naval Air Base in the Central Pacific on 19 August 1944. Under conditions of great personal danger from burning wreckage and exploding ammunition and with imminent danger of bombs carried in the plane detonating, he voluntarily and courageously manned the cockpit of the plane and taxied it to a place of safety, where the fire was put out and further damage to surrounding equipment and aircraft avoided. His heroic conduct performed in the face of great danger to himself was outstanding.