The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Private Donald J. Kelly (MCSN: 552746), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty while serving as a Rifleman of Company F, Second Battalion, Twenty-Second Marines, SIXTH Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, 14 May 1945. Rendered unconscious by the blast of a demolition charge and evacuated from his unit during his squad’s advance on Sugar Loaf Hill, Private Kelly steadfastly refused further evacuation from the Battalion Aid Station and, later the same day, voluntarily returned to the lines. Unable to locate his former platoon, he attached himself to another platoon moving out in an assault on Sugar Loaf Hill and, observing a machine gunner fall on reaching the objective, rushed to the machine gun. Although he had no training in the operation of the gun, Private Kelly proceeded to put it into action and, when the platoon was forced to withdraw under intense enemy fire delivered by a numerically superior assaulting force, remained steadfast at the gun, covering the withdrawal and killing more than twenty of the Japanese. By his courage, initiative and aggressive fighting spirit during this action, Private Kelly upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.