Clair Horton Voss

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Clair Horton Voss (0-38521), Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps (Reserve), for extraordinary heroism while serving with a Platoon of Company A, First Battalion, Twenty-Seventh Marines, FIFTH Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, on 27 February 1945. Although several previous attempts had failed to destroy a pillbox which had pinned down his platoon with heavy machine-gun fire during its advance toward the high ground to its immediate front, Second Lieutenant Voss realized that the enemy position was holding up the advance of the entire company. Arming himself with hand grenades and demolitions, he crawled forward to the rear of the pillbox where he succeeded in silencing the machine gun with hand grenades. Despite the heavy machine-gun fire from adjacent hostile positions, he approached the pillbox, climbed to the top and completely annihilated the remaining Japanese personnel with a demolition charge. By his initiative and courage, he made possible the continued advance of his company, and his gallant devotion to duty was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 343 (October 1945)