The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Second Lieutenant John J. Dalton (MCSN: 0-10508), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism as Quartermaster of the Second Battalion, Twelfth Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on the Asan-Adelup Beachhead, Guam, Mariana Islands, 26 July 1944. When the enemy broke through our lines during a counterattack, Second Lieutenant Dalton turned our supply installations over to one of his men and, moving forward to a hill about five hundred yards to his front, observed the Japanese in considerable number moving down the draws leading to the beach. Quickly organizing a patrol of ten men, he directed attacks on small groups of the enemy in succession and annihilated each group as it was encountered despite heavy hostile rifle fire. Succeeding in clearing out the area at the end of seven hours of fighting with a count of forty-five enemy dead and with minimum losses in his own group, he prevented the Japanese from gaining access to our vital supply installations and contributed materially to the restoration of our front lines. Second Lieutenant Dalton’s professional skill, courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.