The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Seaman First Class John C. Livingston, United States Coast Guard, for heroism while serving as a crew member of a fireboat engaged in combating fires and explosion on a burning ship at Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, on 21 May 1944. When strainers and suction lines became fouled during firefighting operations, he voluntarily jumped over the side into burning oil and gasoline covered water and freed the strainers and lines thus keeping his ship in action when it was so vitally needed.