The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class Eugene Robert Olsen, United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism and conspicuous devotion to duty while serving as a Corpsman attached to the Second Battalion, Twenty-Sixth Marines, FIFTH Marine Division, during operations against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Island, on 3 March 1945. Cool and courageous, Olson voluntarily left a protected position to assist an adjoining company which was experiencing heavy casualties. Completing his work, he returned to his company and, a few minutes later, advanced beyond his own front lines to attend a wounded man lying in a fire lane. Although bullets pierced his first aid pouch and canteen, he brought the wounded man to the rear of the lines and administered first aid. Again on 5 March he walked into a known fire lane and, braving grenades thrown from a cliff, removed and treated a wounded Marine. When enemy machine-gun fire pinned down his whole platoon shortly thereafter, he moved out ahead of the front lines and treated another wounded Marine. By his repeated acts of courage throughout the entire operation, he served as an inspiration to his company. By his courage and efforts in behalf of others at great risk to his own life, Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class Olsen undoubtedly saved many lives, and his steadfast devotion to duty throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.