The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to First Lieutenant Dale W. Bair (MCSN: 0-19637), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for extraordinary heroism as Commanding Officer of Company G, Second Battalion, Twenty-Second Marines, SIXTH Marine Division, during operations against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, on 13 May 1945. While leading his Company in the assault of a heavily defended enemy ridge near Sugar Loaf Hill, First Lieutenant Bair received serious wounds and was temporarily evacuated in a semi-conscious condition. Upon regaining full consciousness, he observed his assault platoons come under sudden and intense fire from concealed hostile emplacements, causing heavy casualties and pinning down the leading elements. Despite the pain of his wounds, and aware that he must soon be evacuated because of them, he advanced in the face of the enemy fire and, firing his weapon into the probable location of the hostile positions, risked his life to draw the enemy fire and permit his men to be led to safety. On one occasion, he took a machine gun from a wounded Marine and fired it into the hostile position to cover the withdrawal of the trapped unit. By his bold initiative and unselfish action, he enabled his men to withdraw, reorganize and, in conjunction with another unit, successfully assault the enemy position. His courageous devotion to duty was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.