The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant Raphael E. Kearns (MCSN: 0-43349), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while attached to the First Battalion, Twenty-third Marines, FOURTH Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 19 February 1945. When the need for mortar ammunition became critical on D-Day, Second Lieutenant Kearns braved the hail of enemy artillery and machine-gun fire falling on the assault beaches to obtain the ammunition. Unable to find shore party personnel to call ammunition ashore when he reached the beach, he courageously waded into the heavy surf, obtained an amphibian tractor, drove it forward over the mined beach until it bogged down in the deep sand and then rallied all available personnel to carry the ammunition forward. During the course of the afternoon, he repeatedly traveled from forward positions to the beach in search of ammunition and, although painfully wounded, refused medical attention in order to continue his task. By his initiative, coolness under intense mortar and artillery fire and aggressive fighting spirit, Second Lieutenant Kearns upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.