The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Lee C. Dramis (MCSN: 338337), United States Marine Corps Reserve, 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, on 1 March 1945. After a heavy enemy artillery barrage had set fire to a division ammunition and food dump and a U.S. Army radar station situated in the vicinity of the Regimental Command Post, Sergeant Dramis 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. Interrupting his fire fighting from time to time to remove numerous pieces of unexploded ammunition from the immediate vicinity of the fire, he assisted in controlling and extinguishing the flames and thereby preventing additional casualties and the destruction of other large stores of near-by critical materials. His initiative, courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.


