The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Corporal William W. McCandless (MCSN: 435048), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a Rifle Squad Leader of Company I, Third Battalion, Twenty-first Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, on 24 February 1945. Participating in an attack against a strong hostile force entrenched near an airfield, Corporal McCandless skillfully led his squad until it became necessary to organize defensive positions for the night. When accurate heavy enemy machine-gun fire threatened to force a complete withdrawal from the area, he moved forward, hurling hand grenades into the embrasure to silence the gun. As eight of the enemy charged from the position armed with swords and fixed bayonets, he met them with accurate rifle fire and, with the aid of his squad, annihilated the entire group. His aggressive fighting spirit, leadership and courageous devotion to duty reflect the highest credit on Corporal McCandless and the United States Naval Service.