(Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: Lieutenant, Junior Grade Roy E. Gouker, United States Coast Guard, was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for heroic conduct while serving aboard the U.S.S. RICKETS during rescue operations following a collision between two ships in the Atlantic the night of 25 February 1944. When crews of both vessels were forced by raging -gasoline fires to abandon ship, he voluntarily went over the side and aided exhausted survivors to reach the rescuer vessel.