The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Gunnery Sergeant John S. Green (MCSN: 1275527), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism in action against enemy forces while serving as Company Gunnery Sergeant, Company F, Second Battalion, Fifth Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in the Republic of Vietnam on 2 June 1967. During Operation UNION II, Company F came under intense enemy small arms, automatic weapons and mortar fire from a well entrenched enemy force and was temporarily halted. Gunnery Sergeant Green, with complete disregard for his own safety, led a frontal assault against the enemy positions. Leading his men across 800 meters of open, fire-swept rice paddy, he quickly overran the Viet Cong machine gun position and personally accounted for ten enemy killed. After seizing the objective, he immediately established a hasty defense and began redistributing ammunition to his men. He fearlessly braved the intense enemy fire by exposing himself in carrying wounded to positions of relative safety. By his daring initiative, valiant fighting spirit and selfless devotion to duty in the face of insurmountable odds, Gunnery Sergeant Green was responsible in great measure for saving many of his comrades and thereby upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.