High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Rufus Geddie Herring was a United States Naval Reserve officer and a recipient of America's highest military decoration?the Medal of Honor?for his actions in World War II. After graduating from Davidson College, Davidson, North Carolina in the spring of 1942, Rufus Herring enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve and subsequently attended the Naval Reserve Midshipman School in New York City. After being commissioned in the rank of Ensign in December 1942, he received diesel engine instruction at the University of Illinois, followed by orders to the Amphibious Training Base at Solomons, Maryland. In August 1943 he assumed command of the newly completed infantry landing craft USS LCI(L)-449 and remained her commanding officer during the next year and a half. Herring was promoted to Lieutenant, Junior Grade, in March 1944 and between February and July of that year he participated in the invasions of Kwajalein, Saipan, Tinian and Guam.