The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Private Albert Joseph Smith, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while assigned to the Marine Barracks, Pensacola, Florida. At about 7:30 a.m. on the morning of 11 February 1921, Private Smith, while on duty as a sentry, rescued Plen M. Phelps, late machinist’s mate second class, U.S. Navy, from a burning seaplane which had fallen near his post, gate No. 1, Marine Barracks, Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Fla. Despite the explosion of the gravity gasoline tank, with total disregard of personal safety, he pushed himself to a position where he could reach Phelps, who was pinned beneath the burning wreckage, and rescued him from the burning plane, in the performance of which he sustained painful burns about the head, neck and both hands.