The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Fireman First Class William Claud Patterson, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism while serving on the U.S.S. TICONDEROGA in action with a German submarine, 30 September 1918. When that vessel was torpedoed; Fireman First Class Patterson went below and took charge in the fire room and kept up steam after the regular fire room watch had deserted the fire room, and thereby lost his life.