The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant John C. Craig, Jr. (MCSN: 0-14475), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while in command of a demolition group of the SECOND Marine Division attached to the Eighth Marines, Reinforced, Solomon Islands on 15 and 16 January 1943. Reconnoitering into hostile lines south of Point Cruz, Second Lieutenant Craig, n the face of tremendous machine gun fire boldly led his group forward and effectively dynamited four strong Japanese positions. The following day he and his crew moving toward prospective targets under a curtain of vigorous shelling, destroyed two of the enemy’s 77-mm. field pieces and three ammunition dumps. His courageous devotion to duty, maintained at great personal risk in the face of grave danger was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.