The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant William H. Mulvey (MCSN: 0-35272), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as a Platoon Leader of Company G, Second Battalion, Twenty-first Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, on 4 March 1945. With his platoon spearheading the attack on a heavily-fortified enemy hill position, Second Lieutenant Mulvey skillfully led his men forward in the face of intense mortar, machine-gun and rifle fire and, when the leader of the platoon on his left became a casualty, assumed command of that unit also. Gaining his objective after a determined assault and finding his platoons cut off from reinforcements, he hastily reorganized his units and consolidated his position, braving withering machine-gun and rifle fire to reconnoiter the terrain. Thereafter, despite continuing hostile fire and mounting casualties, he held his forward position indomitably throughout eight hours of bitter fighting until ordered to withdraw and establish contact with units to his rear. Still exposing himself to enemy fire, he personally supervised the withdrawal of his men and the evacuation of the wounded. By his courageous leadership and fighting spirit throughout, Second Lieutenant Mulvey upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.