The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to First Lieutenant Gordon T. Sandison (MCSN: 0-18990), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for extraordinary heroism as Officer in Charge of a Mortar Section of Company F, Second Battalion, Twenty-First Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces at Guam, Mariana Islands, on 24 and 25 July 1944. When a platoon of his company was pinned down by heavy hostile machine-gun and mortar fire during an advance up a deep ravine, First Lieutenant Sandison courageously led his men into the ravine, assumed control of a mortar squad already there and emplaced them near the front lines. Boldly occupying an exposed position in front of the lines despite heavy fire, he directed mortar fire against the enemy until the mortar ammunition was expended and then assisted in consolidating the lines until he was wounded. With his ammunition replenished during the night, he directed accurate mortar fire from the front lines and thereby prevented a force of 250 Japanese from concentrating for a coordinated attack. Despite his painful wound, intense hostile fire and heavy casualties among his men on 25 July, First Lieutenant Sandison ably supported his company in an enveloping attack and continually exposed himself to heavy enemy mortar fire in order to move the wounded to safety, repeatedly shielding the casualties with his own body until further wounds necessitated his evacuation from the area. His fortitude, gallant fighting spirit and valiant devotion to duty throughout were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.