The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Chief Boatswain’s Mate Christie M. May, United States Navy, for distinguished service and devotion to duty as Commander of the Armed Guard of the S.S. CITY OF WILMINGTON. On 13 April 1917, when that ship caught fire in mid-ocean and had to be abandoned in a heavy fog, a steamer’s good whistle was heard. In order to attract attention, the Commander of the Armed Guard, with gun’s crews returned on board while the ship was burning and ammunition exploding aft, and fired minute guns until a ship answered, and finally picked up the boats.