The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Joseph M. Colsnik (MCSN: 491827), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a Group Leader of Company F, Second Battalion, Twenty-third Marines, FOURTH Marine Division in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands on 7 March 1945. During action against a numerically superior enemy force Private First Class Colsnik climbed to an exposed position on a rocky ledge to fire on enemy machine guns that were holding up the advance of the company. Although under constant hostile small arms fire, he maintained almost continuous fire by having loaded rifles passed up to him from below thereby accounting for four snipers and neutralizing the machine gun fire until a tank was moved up against the positions. During this action Private First Class Colsnik was seriously wounded and evacuated for medical treatment. His bold initiative, skill and courage were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.