wa ffe ▁on ▁April ▁ 1 , ▁approximately ▁ ▁west ▁of ▁Al gi ers . ▁Two ▁plan es ▁were ▁shot ▁down ▁and ▁two ▁dam aged ▁while ▁only ▁one ▁ship ▁in ▁the ▁con voy ▁was ▁dam aged . ▁The ▁con voy ▁arrived ▁at ▁B izer te ▁on ▁April ▁ 3 . ▁ ▁E ight ▁days ▁later , ▁S loat ▁joined ▁another ▁con voy ▁and ▁returned ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 . ▁García ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Bron ze ▁Star ▁Medal ▁with ▁Com bat ▁" V " ▁for ▁his ▁actions . ▁Part ▁of ▁the ▁c itation ▁reads ▁as ▁follows : ▁ ▁From ▁June ▁ 1 5 ▁to ▁July ▁ 1 5 , ▁S loat ▁operated ▁in ▁the ▁Car ib bean ▁Sea ▁and ▁Atlantic ▁Ocean ▁in ▁search ▁of ▁German ▁U - bo ats . ▁ ▁Later ▁years ▁From ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁Gar cia ▁served ▁as ▁command ant ▁of ▁the ▁ 5 8 th ▁Esc ort ▁Division ▁ab o ard ▁. ▁Upon ▁his ▁return ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁after ▁the ▁war , ▁Gar cia ▁served ▁as ▁command ing ▁officer ▁of ▁the ▁Naval ▁Rec ruit ment ▁Station ▁in ▁New ▁Orleans , ▁Louisiana . ▁After ▁serving ▁a ▁short ▁st int ▁as ▁commander ▁of ▁, ▁Gar cia ▁was ▁assigned ▁as ▁command ing ▁officer ▁of ▁the ▁naval ▁base ▁at ▁Orange , ▁Texas ▁and ▁in ▁May ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 1 9 5 4 , ▁he ▁was ▁given ▁his ▁last ▁assignment ▁before ▁his ▁ret irement ▁from ▁the ▁Navy , ▁that ▁of