The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Ralph W. Johnson (MCSN: 425734), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as Acting Squad Leader in a Marine Rifle Platoon of Company G, Second Battalion, Fourth Marines, SIXTH Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, on 22 June 1945. Wounded in the shoulder just as he observed the position of an enemy machine gun forty yards to the front which was pinning down his platoon, Private First Class Johnson refused medical assistance and unhesitatingly crawled to the hostile position to throw a grenade into it. Then, firing directly into the emplacement with his automatic rifle, he killed the remaining Japanese and thereby prevented further casualties to his own platoon. His courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.