The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Private First Class Calvin L. Welch (MCSN: 548799), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as an Automatic Rifleman, serving with Company C, First Battalion, Twenty-seventh Marines, FIFTH Marine Division in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands from 19 February to 9 March 1945. With his company pinned down by the enveloping barrages of hostile machine gun and rifle fire emanating from a Japanese pill box on the right front, Private First Class Welch voluntarily braved the continuous enemy fire to advance alone and taking station in a strategic position, delivered an accurate and devastating stream of fire on the hostile emplacement quickly neutralizing it and thereby enabling a flame thrower operator to advance and destroy the pill box, with the result that many lives that otherwise might have been lost were saved. Dauntless and indomitable, Private First Class Welch, by his outstanding initiative, judgment and courage in the face of grave peril, rendered valiant service and his conduct throughout reflects the highest credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service.