The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain John C. Johnston (MCSN: 0-25115), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Commanding Officer of Company B, First Battalion, Seventh Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on 23 and 24 April 1951. When a numerically superior enemy force overran a small outpost on a high point overlooking the company’s positions and the enemy pressed forward to set up their automatic weapons, Captain Johnston redeployed his force to minimize the danger and organized for a counterattack. Although suffering from a painful hand wound, he moved constantly along his entire company line, encouraging his men, directing their fire and personally delivering machine gun ammunition to forward positions. By his outstanding courage, aggressive leadership and unwavering devotion to duty, Captain Johnston served to inspire all who observed him and contributed materially to the subsequent repulse of the enemy attack, thereby upholding the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.