The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Commander Joseph Howard Gibbons (NSN: 0-168722), United States Navy, for conspicuous bravery under fire, exceptional ability and constant devotion to duty in the performance of outstanding services as Commander of the Naval Combat Demolition Units of an Assault Force, during the attack on the coast of France, 6 June 1944. Lieutenant Commander Gibbons was assigned the mission of demolishing enemy places obstacles in an area, in collaboration with personnel of the Army Engineer Special Brigade. This task, as dangerous as it was essential, was to take place immediately following a wave of special tanks and infantry, which were to have neutralized such enemy resistance as survived Naval and Aerial bombardment. Enemy gunfire was not neutralized as planned, the aerial bombardment not being delivered, and a large number of the special tanks being destroyed before they reached the beach. The Naval Combat Demolition Unit landed under intense and concentrated enemy artillery and machine gun fire, and sustained forty percent casualties in executing its task. Under these circumstances the courage, cool leadership under fire, initiative and sound judgment of the Commanding Officer of these units were essential to the success of the mission and reflect great credit on himself and the United States Naval Service.