The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Second Lieutenant Ralph H. Niehaus (MCSN: 0-27011), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for extraordinary heroism as Leader of a Rifle Platoon of Company K, Third Battalion, Twenty-First Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Guam, Maranias Islands, 26 July 1944. After strong hostile forces had enveloped his Regiment’s right flank and had occupied a strategic position to the right rear of our lines, Second Lieutenant Niehaus boldly led his platoon in a determined night attack against this numerically superior Japanese force and, employing hand grenades and bayonets in a desperate Hand-to-hand struggle, directed his men in killing a large number of the enemy and in driving the majority of the hostile force from the position. Although all but four of his men had been wounded and he had been wounded twice, he persisted in the attack until ordered to withdraw to permit shelling of the area. Then, personally covering the withdrawal of his men and the evacuation of the wounded although he, himself, was wounded a third time, he returned under heavy fire to carry the last of the casualties to safety, continuing in his efforts until loss of blood necessitated his removal to an aid station. By his aggressive fighting spirit, daring initiative and courageous devotion to duty, Second Lieutenant Niehaus prevented the Japanese from exploiting the envelopment of the Regiment’s right flank, and his conduct throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.