The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Gunnery Sergeant Samuel D. Johnston (MCSN: 435330), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty while serving as a Tank Platoon Leader of Company C, Fourth Tank Battalion, FOURTH Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the assault on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, from 19 February to 16 March 1945. Forcing his way through very difficult terrain on 23 February, Gunnery Sergeant Johnston reached a point where he could fire into Japanese pillboxes and, after exhausting his ammunition, left his tank in the face of small-arms and anti-tank fire to ride on the outside of a second tank and direct its guns against the remaining pillboxes. Taking command of a tank dozer on 8 March, he cleared a road through an enemy mine field for four hundred yards despite hostile fire and, on 14 March, constructed a road down a rocky and extremely steep slope with another dozer, thereby enabling tanks to clear an area that had halted our advance. On the same day, he attacked a road block and, despite enemy hand-thrown charges, grenades and a blinding smoke screen, succeeded in neutralizing the Japanese personnel and reducing the block. His courage, aggressive fighting spirit and devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon Gunnery Sergeant Johnston and the United States Naval Service.