The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Carpenter’s Mate First Class Edward F. Duclos, United States Navy, for heroic conduct while serving aboard the U.S.S. BUCK (DD-420) when it was sunk by an explosion on 9 October 1943. Carpenter’s Mate First Class Edward F. Duclos and Torpedoman’s Mate Second Class Claude C. Goldman, Jr., were dazed and wounded when thrown against the after deck house. They assisted in removing casualties to life rafts and set all depth charges on safe. Then they released two men who had been trapped in the after steering compartment. Remaining aboard until the last minute, they were unable to swim a safe distance from the rapidly sinking ship and received serious internal injuries from underwater explosions.