The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Pharmacist’s Mate Second Class Haywood L. Wood, United States Naval Reserve, for heroic conduct when a large ammunition dump was ignited at a Solomon Islands advance base on 5 September 1943. Pharmacist’s Mate Second Class Wood volunteered to assist in moving heavy caliber ammunition, and for two hours carried on this task although his life was in danger constantly from flying fragments and detonating high explosives.