The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Seaman First Class John P. Sweeney, United States Naval Reserve, for heroic conduct when a Navy scout bomber crashed into the water while attempting to land on the flight deck of a carrier during the night of 3 April 1944. Seaman First Class Sweeney dived into the water and swam to the point where he had last sighted the pilot. Unable to locate the pilot, he swam around the ship to the opposite side and assisted another volunteer swimmer in the rescue of the other survivor.