The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain Thomas A. Bruns (MCSN: 0-11962), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Commanding Officer of Company B, Fifth Tank Battalion, FIFTH Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, on 8 March 1945. Commanding his company in an attack on an enemy salient which formed a reentrant into our lines, Captain Bruns noted that the infantry was pinned down by intense mortar, hand grenade, and small-arms fire and that no avenue of approach for tanks existed. Dismounting from hi tank, he reconnoitered the hostile installations on foot and, after entering the enemy positions, obtained the desired information. Returning to his company, he brought up his tank dozer and, still on foot, initiated its entry along the route he had selected. Noticing at this time that the Japanese had swarmed an abandoned tank and installed a machine gun, he returned again to his tank, brought his company up and, annihilating twenty of the enemy, forced the remainder to retire, thereby breaking their final line of resistance. His leadership, courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.