The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Sonarman Second Class David D. Clark, United States Coast Guard, for heroism as a crewmember of the U.S.C.G.C. 83413 in rescuing survivors of the invasion off the coast of France in June 1944. On 8 June his ship proceeded in full speed in utter disregard of mines to the rescue of the U.S.S. RICH, which had been mined approximately two miles from the French coast in a concentrated mine area. After the cutter had been moored along side the stricken ship, Seaman Second Class Clark going aboard with the member of the crew especially distinguished himself by remaining on the bridge of the destroyer escort and freeing one of the members of the crew of the stricken ship who had become entangled in a line. By the time the man was freed, all avenues of escape from the bridge were cut off by water. Seaman Second Class Clark assisted by a fellow enlisted man threw the victim who was a stretcher case, overboard and them followed him over the side. The succeeded in keeping him afloat until such time as they could all be taken aboard the cutter.