The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Corporal Harlan S. Steffen (MCSN: 510573), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty while serving as a Tank Driver of Company B, First Tank Battalion, FIRST Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, 15 May 1945. While evacuating wounded infantrymen from in front of the lines, Corporal Steffen’s tank was struck by an armor-piercing shell which severed his left hand and killed the assistant driver. Fully aware that his life would be in jeopardy if he did not seek medical aid immediately to stanch the flow of blood and realizing that the other crew members and wounded infantrymen would be at the mercy of the enemy gun if he stopped the tank, he heroically remained at the controls and drove over four hundred yards, fighting off unconsciousness and pain and loss of blood. Although the hostile antitank gun scored four more direct hits, he succeeded in delivering the tank and its load of casualties to the safety of a defiladed area before reporting his injury to the tank commander. By his self-sacrifice, indomitable courage and steadfast devotion to duty, Corporal Steffen upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.