(Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: Chief Boatswain’s Mate Louis Jay Cramer, United States Coast Guard, was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for heroic conduct while serving aboard the U.S.S. RICKETTS during rescue operations following a collision between S.S. EL COSTON and the S.S. MURFEESBORO in the Atlantic area on the night of 25 to 26 February 1944. When crewmembers of both severely damaged vessels were forced by raging gasoline fires to abandon ship, Chief Boatswain’s Mate Cramer materially assisted his senior officers in organizing effective rescue operations by his ship and supervised the saving of a large number of survivors. On several occasions he dived into the rough, oil covered sea tied lifelines around exhausted swimmers thereby enabling them to be hauled to safety aboard the rescuing vessel.