City of New York Gold Cross for Valor awarded to Fireman Frank Roberts, SS ‘President Roosevelt’.

In January 1926 Captain Fried and crew from the ‘President Roosevelt’ saved the lives of the entire crew of the ‘Antinoe’ (New Egypt and Levant SS Company) after the ship ran into a severe gale on 23 January, nine days after leaving New York.

The medal is in the form of a gold Maltese cross with, on the obverse, the arms of New York. In the centre is the following inscription, ‘Presented by the City of New York’ and inscribed on the band, ‘Valor’. On the arms of the cross is inscribed, ‘The crew of President Roosevelt 1926’. On the reverse of the medal is the following inscription, ‘Mayor’s Committee on reception to Capt George Fried and his rescue crew SS President Roosevelt, James J. Walker, Mayor’. The medal is fitted with a clasp inscribed, ‘The City of New York’ and a ribbon with vertical stripes of yellow, white and blue.

The other medals awarded to Frank Roberts and in the Museum’s collection are: Sea Gallantry Medal (MED2372), Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society Medal (MED2374), Lloyds Medal for Saving Life at Sea (MED2375), Allied Theatrical Interests and Neptune Association, USA (MED2376) and Life Saving Benevolent Association of New York Medal (MED2377).