The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Commander William D. Ryan, United States Navy, for heroic conduct during the assault on and occupation of French Morocco, 8 – 11 November 1942. Exercising keen judgment and expert seamanship, Commander Ryan laid his small vessel alongside a ship which had been torpedoed during the occupation of French Morocco, and assisted in pumping, despite destructive pounding by heavy seas, until all his lines were carried away and his ship had sustained a severe battering.