The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal (Posthumously) to Steward Third Class John Bell Hawkins (NSN: 6714472), United States Naval Reserve, for heroic conduct when the rowboat in which he and three small boys were rowing was violently rocked by a passing launch near Plymouth, England, on 11 August 1944. One of the boys fell overboard, and Steward Third Class Hawkins jumped in the water despite his inability as a swimmer and struggled to save his young companion. He managed to keep the boy’s head above water until a rescue boat arrived, but was lost himself before the rescuers could reach him.