The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Second Lieutenant John Dean Blanchard (MCSN: 0-3976), United States Marine Corps, for distinguished service in the line of his profession while serving with the First Provisional Brigade of Marines (Gendarmerie d’Haiti) on the afternoon of 6 December 1929, while in command of a patrol composed of one Marine Gunner and twenty men of the U.S. Marine Corps serving with the Gendarmerie d’Haiti at the junction of the Grand Ravine and Grand Route de Torbeck, about one mile from the city of Aux Cayes. The patrol made contact with a mob of about 1,500 hostile Haitians armed with knives, machetes and coomacaques that was advancing on the city of Aux Cayes with the intention of entering the city to rob, burn and kill. The patrol advanced in an effort to peaceably disperse the mob which divided into four bodies, the main body facing the patrol about 175 yards distant and smaller bodies taking up positions in cane fields on each flank and in the rear of the patrol. When it was seen that persuasion was of no avail and that the mob was preparing to attack the patrol, a short burst of fire was directed at the main body while the can fields on the flanks were swept. This effective fire immediately broke up the threatened attack and caused the mob to disperse. Lieutenant Blanchard displayed commendable courage and forbearance in attempting to disperse the mob by peaceful means and, when the necessity arose, exhibited laudable presence of mind and leadership in promptly taking effective measures to quell the up-rising and save the lives of his patrol. The action of Lieutenant Blanchard undoubtedly prevented the sacking of the city of Aux Cayes and the pillage, fire and murder that would have followed.