The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Lance Corporal Hector M. Ayuso, United States Marine Corps, for heroism on 7 April 1978 while serving at Marine Corps Air Station, Beaufort, South Carolina. On liberty and proceeding south along State Highway 170, Lance Corporal Ayuso observed a car swerve off the road, veer into a ditch, and spew forth smoke and flames from the hood area. He immediately ran to assist the occupants, two women, a small child, and a baby whom he discovered were dazed, totally incapacitated, and incapable of responding to his warning to flee. Fire now spread across the underside of the vehicle and, realizing the occupants could not help themselves, Lance Corporal Ayuso, with complete disregard for his own safety and fully aware of the possibility of imminent explosion, entered the vehicle and physically dragged them from the blazing wreckage. His courageous and quick action in the face of great personal risk undoubtedly prevented the most severe and probably fatal injury to the occupants of the vehicle; thereby reflecting great credit upon himself and upholding the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.