The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal (Posthumously) to Lieutenant, Junior Grade James Barkley Sommers (NSN: 0-111654), United States Navy, for heroism at New Caledonia on 30 October 1942. While in charge of a boat attempting to rescue officers and men from a plane wrecked on a treacherous reef, Lieutenant Sommers gamely swam a line to the stricken craft, enabling his men and an accompanying boat to rescue without injury to either the survivors or the boat crews.