(Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: Seaman First Class Henry Martin, Jr., 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 the S.S. EL COSTON and the S.S. MURFREESBORO in the Atlantic Area on the night of 25 – 26 February 1944. When the crew member of both severely damaged ships were forced by raging gasoline fires to abandon ship Seaman First Class Martin voluntarily went over the side of his heavily rolling rescue ship an despite rough seas and burning gasoline which covered a large part of the water, worked tirelessly to aid the exhausted survivors in reaching and climbing the nets rigged along the sides to the rescue ship.