The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant John R. Whelan (MCSN: 0-31149), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as a Rifle Platoon Leader of Company F, Second Battalion, Twenty-eighth Marines, FIFTH Marine Division in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands on 21 February 1945. When his entire platoon and parts of adjacent units were held up by concentrated hostile machine gun fire, Second Lieutenant Whelan unhesitatingly went forward over terrain that offered little cover or concealment to reconnoiter the enemy positions. Quickly making a decision and issuing an attack order he led the platoon in a bold and daring frontal attack on the emplacements and personally participated in neutralizing the remaining Japanese and destroying their weapons thereby enabling the company to continue its advance to the assigned objective. His courageous and decisive leadership in the face of enemy fire reflect the highest credit upon Second Lieutenant Whelan and the United States Naval Service.