The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Coxswain Clyde Patterson, United States Naval Reserve, for heroic conduce when the landing boat in which he was serving approached the beach at Gela, Sicily, on 11 July 1943. Coxswain Patterson noticed a soldier struggling in the water in danger of drowning. He swam to the drowning soldier and brought him to safety and, although weakened by his recent efforts, immediately went overboard again and saved another man who was about to perish.