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 (Infantry) James O. Dugan, United States Army, for heroism at the risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy as a member of the 1st Ranger Company, Florida Ranger Camp, Auxiliary Field Seven, Elgin Air Force Base, Florida, on 26 January 1960. Lieutenant Dugan was performing duty as a Ranger instructor and leading a boat party on a simulated combat problem at night in the Gulf of Mexico. During the debarkation phase of that maneuver, a malfunction occurred in the ramp of the ocean-type vessel on which he and his boat crew had embarked and suddenly threw his boat and crew into the water. Immediately and without concern for his own personal safety, Lieutenant Dugan jumped from the vessel’s ramp into the water and personally assisted members of his boat crew back into their boat. A moment later when action of the surf caused the pneumatic reconnaissance boat to capsize again, Lieutenant Dugan remained in the water in the vicinity of the overturned boat and issued instructions to the boat crew to regained handholds on the boat while he took a physical count to ensure that all members were accounted for. Discovering that one of his group was missing and trapped beneath the boat, Lieutenant Dugan personally assisted the Ranger student to a position of safety. Assured that all members were present and safe, he then issued necessary instructions which enabled him and the members of his crew to successfully swim with the capsized craft approximately 700 yards through heavy surf to the beach area of the problem objective. Upon reaching the beach with his shore party without incident, and despite the fact that he was tired from the exhaustive swim and suffering from exposure to cold water, he forcefully supervise the prompt accomplishment of the short party’s mission. After being informed that Ranger students from another capsized boat were missing, he initiated a search for some distance along the beach of Santa Rosa Island, found two students floating near the shoreline, pulled them onto the beach, administered artificial respiration and, though at this point extremely fatigued, proceeded on foot to the nearest Air Force installation to request additional medical and search assistance. His unselfish courage, high sense of responsibility, and unusual presence of mind prevented the loss of personnel in his party and valuable Government property, and made vital contributions to the overall successful accomplishment of military objectives involved in this mission. Lieutenant Dugan’s outstanding heroism is in the most cherished traditions of the United States Army, and reflect the utmost credit upon himself and the military service.