The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Corporal William F. Cullinane (MCSN: 452918), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving with Headquarters and Service Battery, Thirteenth Marines, FIFTH Marine Division in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands during the early morning hours of 1 March 1945. After heavy enemy artillery barrage had set fire to division ammunition and food dump and a U.S. Army radar station situated in the vicinity of the Regimental Command Post. Corporal Cullinane braved hostile mortar and artillery fire as well as flying fragments of burning and exploding ammunition which were continuously showering the area to fight the flames. Assisting in controlling and extinguishing the fire, he contributed to the saving of other large stores of near-by critical materials until wounded by a burning fragment of a bursting pyrotechnic shell. His courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.