The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Sergeant N. J. Langford (MCSN: 272522), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty while serving as a Platoon Sergeant of Company L, Third Battalion, Twenty-Fifth Marines, FOURTH Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 26 February 1945. Observing that one of his men who had proceeded beyond the front lines had been wounded, Platoon Sergeant Langford exposed himself to intense hostile fire to go to the rescue of his comrade. Although painfully wounded by snipers hidden in a cave, he killed five of the Japanese and, while continually exposed to enemy fire, was successful in rescuing the casualty. After his platoon had been ordered to support a squad of engineers in destroying a series of caves on 17 March, he voluntarily covered by fire the evacuation of two wounded demolition men and, when a sniper’s bullet hit his helmet, deliberately exposed himself to draw the enemy’s fire and then crawled quickly to another position from which he was able to annihilate the sniper, after which he placed neutralizing fire into a cave while the casualties were carried to safety. His aggressive fighting spirit, initiative and courageous devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon Platoon Sergeant Langford and the United States Naval Service.