Archie M. Bickford

The Navy Cross is awarded to Water Tender Archie M. Bickford, U.S. Navy, for extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty while serving on the U.S.S. Covington on the occasion of the torpedoing of that vessel on July 1, 1918. Though at the time, in water up to his waist, and at the foot of the only escape ladder from the fire room, he attempted to reach the safety valves of his boilers in order to remove the menace of their explosion.