The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant Cullen M. Ward (MCSN: 0-36994), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as a Platoon Leader of Company I, Third Battalion, Twenty-fifth marines, FOURTH Marine Division in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands from 19 February to 17 March 1945. Although painfully wounded, Second Lieutenant Ward volunteered to remain with his company as the sole-surviving Platoon Leader and, after assuming command of three rifle platoons, moved forward in the face of intense mortar, machine gun and sniper fire to reconnoiter enemy positions hindering the advance of his unit. Skillfully maneuvering his men over difficult terrain he succeeded in capturing a strongly fortified ridge and after discovering a Japanese mortar position which had been inflicting severe casualties on all occupying forces of the ridge, entered a tank and directed it into a position to destroy the mortar. His courage and devotion to duty upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.