The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant Joseph P. Lepkowski (MCSN: 0-38432), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as a Platoon Leader of Company K, Third Battalion, Twenty-fifth Marines, FOURTH Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands on 12 March 1945. After his platoon’s attack was halted by heavy fire, Second Lieutenant Lepkowski conducted a personal reconnaissance of the hostile position and, skillfully maneuvering his men, destroyed the automatic weapons and inflicted heavy casualties on the defending forces. When the unit on his left was unable to come abreast of his position because of heavy fire, he successfully covered the gap with heavy machine-gun fire and tenaciously held this precarious position against two desperate counterattacks. As the advance was held up a second time by hostile fire, he exposed himself to sniper and machine-gun fire to lead his platoon in the destruction of ten hostile pillboxes and two heavy mortar positions. His courage, leadership and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.