The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Theodore J. Martino, Jr. (MCSN: 861863), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as a Flame Thrower Operator, serving with Company B, First Battalion, Twenty-fifth Marines, FOURTH Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 19 February 1945. With his company pinned down by intense hostile machine-gun and mortar fire from well camouflaged enemy positions, Private First Class Martino crawled forward until he could see two of the emplacements and, despite concentrated enemy opposition, worked his way to the front of one of the pillboxes and destroyed it. Then rushing the second position, he discharged the contents of his flame thrower through the open port of the pillbox, destroying the emplacement, and returning unharmed to his own unit. His courage and devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon Private First Class Martino and the United States Naval Service.