Navy Federal Credit Union

Awards Received

  • Silver Star

    Service:

    United States Marine Corps

    Rank:

    Corporal

    Batallion:

    1st Battalion

    Regiment:

    25th Marines

    Division:

    4th Marine Division

    Action Date:

    February 19, 1945

    Commander in Chief, Pacific: Serial 36629 (January 10, 1946)

    The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Corporal Granville Swanson (MCSN: 449427), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as a Group Leader, serving with Company B, First Battalion, Twenty-fifth Marines, FOURTH Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces at Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, on 19 February 1945. With the enemy’s devastating shellfire retarding the advance of his company one hundred yards offshore during landing operations on D-Day, Corporal Swanson turned his group over to the next in command and fearlessly pressed forward alone in an attempt to locate the concealed entrenchments. Sighting the muzzle blast of a machine gun, in an open trench to his right front, which was firing down on troops emerging from landing crafts in an adjacent zone of action, he boldly crawled to a vantage point for launching an attack and, delivering enfilading fire into the emplacement, killed eight of the enemy and destroyed a machine gun despite repeated attempts by the Japanese to force him from his position. By his daring initiative, indomitable fighting spirit and aggressive determination in the face of grave peril, Corporal Swanson contributed to the success of our landing operations on this heavily fortified hostile stronghold, and his heroic conduct throughout the bitterly fought action reflects the highest credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service.