Navy Marine Corps Medal

The Navy and Marine Corps Medal is the second highest non-combatant medal awarded by the United States Department of the Navy to members of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. The medal may be awarded to service members who, while serving in any capacity with the Navy or Marine Corps, distinguish themselves by heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy. Typically, it is awarded for actions involving the risk of one's own life.

The four married couples lived in Gramham Park Apartments several miles south of the Marine Corps Base at Quantico, Virginia. Two couples lived upstairs (Babe and Alice and Dennis and Carol) and two couples lived downstairs (Ken and Jean and Roy and Alice). The 4 men had recently returned from Vietnam. Babe had been a scout dog handler, Dennis an aerial gunner, Ken an artillery man and Roy was a combat engineer.

Over the course of several months it became obvious that Roy and Alice had some serious domestic issues evidenced by loud verbal altercations and physical abuse which more often than not resulte in Alice sporting bruises. Third parties were involved which heightened the situation's tenseness causing the apartment's occupants to believe there soon would be serious violence.

On a sultry day in July, 1968 once again the arguments, shouting and hitting ensued when suddenly Roy left their downstairs apartment got into his car and screeched out of our parking lot while his wife remained inside. While all this was going on the rest of us sat outside enjoying the weather. We did hear Alice calling the police and found out later that she had told them Roy had hit her repeatedly. She had previously suffered a wrenched neck but this injury seemed more serious and it look as though her nose was broken.

At the time we did not realize that the Highway Patrol and the Military Police had been dispatched to our apartment complex
and they arrived just moments after Roy had returned pulling his car up in front of apartment house. Once he saw the law enforcement vehicles driving down our cul de sac he seemed to get very angry and rushed to the trunk of his car, opened it and tooked out a rifle and pointed it at the police vehicles that had now come to an abrupt halt. I believe there were 4 or 5 cars with 7 or 8 law enforcements officers. When the officers saw Roy point the rifle at them they immediately assumed defensive positions behind their vehicle doors and fenders drew their weapons preparing to shoot.

The three of us couples scattered while watching the drama unfold right in front of our apartment about 75 feet away. (I should note it was about mid day and their were many other people outside from other apartments in our complex).

At this point I began to approach Roy who continued to point his rifle at the officers. I kept talking to him as I approached from about 50 feet saying "Roy put the rifle down these guys are going to be real pissed off at you" his only response was "I am going to shoot the m____f_______s. As the distance closed between us Roy turned and pointed the rifle at me and said "first I am going to shoot you".The law enforcement people must have seen that Roy was distracted by me and began to approach him when he swung his rifle back around towards them. It was this moment that allowed me to close the distance between us and knock Roy to the ground behind his car. After trading a few blows the police rushed to my aide and handcuffed him.

Several days later I was advised by my lieutenant that the local authorities as well as the military police had commended me for my response to an impending danger. At that time I was nominated for the Navy Marine Corps Medal and was subsequently awarded the medal by Lt. General Lewis Fields on April 17, 1969.

The citation reads:

"For heroism while serving at Headquarters Company Headquarters Battalion, Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Virginia, on July 14th 1968. Upon recognizing the possibility of a gun battle at the Graham Park Apartsments between an individual with a loaded rifle and the military and civilian authorities in the execution of the official duties in serving a warrant for the individual's arrest, Corporal Pregent, with complete disregard for his own safety and fully aware of the personal dangers involved, unhesitatingly assited in the apprehension of the individual. He thus prevented serious injury and possible death to innocent bystanders in an apartment complex. Corporal Pregent's courageous and prompt actions in the face of great personal risk undoubtedly prevented bloodshed in a heavily populated area and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service".