The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Private Clifford Ronald Dartt (MCSN: 941764), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty while serving as a Browning Automatic Rifleman of Company G, Second Battalion, Fifth Marines, FIRST Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Peleliu, Palau Islands, on 9 October 1944. Courageously working his way up the side of a steep enemy-held hill, Private Dartt succeeded in reaching the top of this strong fortification before any of his comrades and, immediately engaging twenty of the Japanese who were entrenched on the reverse slope, fired his weapon until an intense automatic barrage wounded him and knocked him twenty yards down the side of the ridge. Although severely burned when another bullet exploded a phosphorus grenade on his belt and ignited the ammunition pouch, he bravely proceeded a second time to the top of the ridge and, finding that a hostile bullet had jammed his weapon, tirelessly continued in his attempt to repair the gun until wounded a second time. His outstanding courage, devotion to duty and valiant perseverance were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.