The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Soldier’s Medal to First Lieutenant Carey J. Land, United States Air Force, for heroism at the risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy as a member of Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, FIFTH Air Force, in an outstanding act of heroism on 2 February 1948 at Nagoya, Japan. Upon being awakened by his gardner and informed that a neighboring house was afire, Lieutenant Land rushed to the burning house in fear that a baby was trapped in the conflagration. An excited Japanese maid tried to explain that the baby was not in the house, but could not express herself in English. Her intense excitement was construed to mean that the baby was still in the house. With complete disregard for his personal safety, Lieutenant Land plunged into the blazing house and groped his way to the baby’s room. After a vain search he realized that the baby was safe. He then turned his attention to salvaging the household belongings by throwing everything possible out of the window. Although three Japanese attempted to enter the house and were driven back because of the intense heat, Lieutenant Land remained and continued to salvage what he could until forced out of the house when the ceiling collapsed, followed by an explosion of undetermined origin.