The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Colonel Edward James Dillon (MCSN: 0-4654), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism as Executive Officer of the Twenty-Third Marines, FOURTH Marine Division, during operations against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, from 19 February to 16 March 1945. From 19 February to 7 March, Lieutenant Colonel Dillon voluntarily spent many hours at the Regimental Observation Post and in forward areas providing excellent information for the assault units. When casualties necessitated his emergency assignment to command a Battalion on 7 March, he reorganized the Command Post despite a depleted staff and, throughout that and the next day, led a relentless attack to disrupt a pocket of resistance which had held up the Battalion’s advance for several days. Although a fanatical counterattack developed that night, Lieutenant Colonel Dillon directed his Battalion in promptly repulsing the counterassault, resulting in the annihilation of five hundred of the enemy. Leading the attack again on the third day, he fully exploited the success of the night before and pushed the advance to the coastline. His tactical skill, aggressive fighting spirit and courageous devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.