The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Lieutenant H. L. McGuire, United States Naval Reserve, for heroic conduct when the LST 348 was set afire and sunk by enemy action off the island of DeZammone, Italy, on 20 February 1944. Lieutenant McGuire went to the assistance of several men whose clothing was on fire and beat out the flames with his bare hands, suffering severe burns in the process. After reaching a life raft he recovered survivors who were in danger of drowning, although painfully injured himself.