The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Sergeant Louis C. Nero (MCSN: 862870), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty while serving as Senior Demolitions Non-Commissioned Officer of the Fifth Engineer Battalion, FIFTH Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the assault on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands. Landing early on D-Day, 19 February 1945, Sergeant Nero initiated the first clearing of mines on Beach Red One, working under hostile mortar fire. On 21 March, while leading a demolition squad in an assault with diesel oil on a cave known to be occupied by the Japanese, he and three members of his squad were seriously burned by an explosive blast of flaming diesel oil which belched out of the cave and completely enveloped the men when it was prematurely ignited by the enemy within. Sergeant Nero and two of his comrades had escaped when he, although seriously burned himself, suddenly realized that the fourth man was missing. Unhesitatingly, he ran back into the wall of flame to rescue the fourth man just as this man, blazing all over, emerged from the flame. Seizing the man, he forced him to the ground and, removing his own jacket with his severely burned hands, worked desperately to smother the flames. When his jacket was burned up in this process, he continued to smother the flame by using dirt. Constantly aiding and comforting the burned and dying man, he remained with him until an ambulance arrived, refusing to leave the scene until ordered to do so. Sergeant Nero’s unfaltering courage, presence of mind and determination reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service.