The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal (Posthumously) to Seaman Second Class William Mesquita (NSN: 6628813), United States Navy, for heroic conduct while attached to a beach battalion during the invasion of Normandy, 6 June 1944. Seaman Second Class Mesquita swam to the beach and assisted in caring for wounded and signaled warnings to approaching landing craft. He rushed out on the open beach under a withering fire and played out rope to a shipmate who was swimming out to rescue two wounded men on a wrecked craft. After the line was tied about one of the wounded soldiers, he coolly brought him to shore as German bullets whipped the water about him.