The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Private First Class Kelly R. Mason, United States Marine Corps, for heroism while assigned to Marine Corps Recruiting Substation, Bakersfield, California. During the early morning hours of 13 April 1977, Private First Class Mason was awakened by the sound of pounding o the door of the apartment he shared with his mother and small brother. He opened the door to find a male tenant of the apartment building in shock, his face and hands burned, and his hair on fire. Rushing the man outside, he laid him on the ground, extinguished the fire, and tried to calm him. With complete disregard for his own personal safety and fully aware of the personal dangers involved, he ran back into the burning building, which by then had become engulfed in flames, and attempted to work his way up the staircase to rescue the remaining occupants. Unable to reach the upper level because of flames and intense heat, he ran to the back of the building and calmly persuaded the trapped occupants to jump from the second story into his arms. As each person leaped from the burning building, Private First Class Mason positioned himself in such a manner as to break the fall of the person jumping and in so doing prevented serious injury. By his prompt and courageous actions in the face of great personal risks, Private First Class Mason undoubtedly saved the lives of several people; thereby reflecting great credit upon him and upholding the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.