The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Seaman First Class Florian G. Erickson, United States Navy, for heroic conduct on 18 June 1943. When an Army sergeant fell overboard from a docked merchant vessel near San Francisco, Seaman First Class Erickson dived twelve feet into cold water, swam under the dock, and hauled the drowning man to safety.