The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Lyman D. Southwell (MCSN: 817323), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a Member of a Rifle Platoon of Company C, First Battalion, Twenty-first Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces at Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, on 24 February 1945. When his platoon’s advance was held up by intense hostile rifle and automatic fire from a series of strongly fortified emplacements, Sergeant Southwell volunteered to direct the fire of a tank against these positions and, discovering that the vehicle’s telephone was out of order, boldly exposed himself to the enemy fire to beat upon the ports of the tank and attract attention. After establishing contact, he remained in his exposed position to direct the fire of the vehicle in destroying five enemy pillboxes, thereby enabling his platoon to continue its advance. By his aggressive fighting spirit and devotion to duty, Sergeant Southwell upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.