The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Werner J. Heumann (MCSN: 280299), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a Rifle Squad Leader of Company G, Third Battalion, Twenty-eighth Marines, FIFTH Marine Division in action against enemy Japanese forces during the assault on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands on 19 February 1945. After the initial landing, Sergeant Heumann frequently exposed himself to devastating hostile fire that was raking the beach to assemble his unit and move it inland. When his platoon was held up by several enemy bunkers, one of which housed an anti-tank weapon that was bringing extremely destructive fire to bear on friendly tanks in that sector, he made an accurate appraisal of the situation and, with his squad as the assaulting unit, aided the platoon in destroying these emplacements. While working on two such enemy positions on 21 February, he exposed himself to accurate mortar fire to direct the fire of several tanks and, using the telephone on the outside of the tank, directed the fire on the enemy emplacement. Later on the same day, he was seriously wounded while attempting to evacuate his injured Platoon Leader. By his courageous leadership and indomitable fighting spirit, Sergeant Heumann contributed materially to the success of the first phase of the operation and his devotion to duty was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.