The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Chief Boatswain’s Mate John Holland, United States Navy, for distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commander of the Armed Guard of the S.S. Tidewater, and in an encounter with an enemy submarine. On 23 October 1917, a torpedo was sighted, and the ship maneuvered so that it missed. The submarine then appeared so close, the forward gun could not be brought to bear, and an endeavor to ram the submarine was made, which, however, was not successful. The submarine submerged before the gun could be brought to bear.