The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lance Corporal James H. Stogner, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism in action with the enemy on 5 April 1967, while serving as part of a machine gun team assigned to Company C, First Battalion, Ninth Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, in the Republic of Vietnam. As Company C began to sweep to clear a hamlet, they were taken under intense enemy fire from automatic weapons, grenades, and mortars. The lead platoon and company command group sustained devastating casualties, the company commander among them. When the enemy exploited the situation and overran a portion of the company, Lance Corporal Stogner’s machine gun team leader was severely wounded. Four enemy soldiers dragged the wounded Marine and his machine gun into a nearby treeline where they began to torture him. Lance Corporal Stogner, despite his own painful wounds and with the complete disregard for his own safety, pursued the enemy into the treeline to rescue his fellow Marine. After his service rifle malfunctioned, he used his K-bar fighting knife to kill the enemy soldiers, then picked up his machine gunner and the machine gun, and carried them back to friendly lines. Lance Corporal Stogner’s bold and decisive action saved the life of his fellow Marine, and his undaunted courage and complete dedication to duty reflected great credit upon him and where in keeping with the highest tradition of the Marine Corps and the United Stated Naval Service.