Christie M. May

The Navy Cross is awarded to Chief Boatswain’s Mate Christie M. May, U.S. Navy, for distinguished service and devotion to duty as commander of the Armed Guard of the S.S. City of Wilmington. On April 13, 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 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.