The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Private First Class James J. Williams (MCSN: 817061), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a leader of a machine gun squad in a platoon of Company H, Third Battalion, Twenty-Sixth Marines, FIFTH Marine Division in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands on 15 March 1945. With his platoon pinned down by enemy machine gun fire, Private First Class Williams volunteering to evacuate a severely wounded Marine, led three other men across a thirty yard section of terrain exposed to a withering cross fire of hostile machine guns. Carrying a stretcher, he succeeded in reaching the wounded man and, kneeling in an exposed position entirely without cover, succeeded in placing him upon the stretcher. Courageously guiding the litter bearers back through the fire lanes, Private First Class Williams, although struck down by Japanese fire just before the completion of his mission, enabled his comrades to bring the wounded man to a point of safety where he was treated by a corpsman. His aggressive and courageous conduct served as an inspiration to his men and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.