Byron Alfred Dary Byron Alfred Dary served in the United States Navy during World War II . He was awarded the Silver Star for his actions during the Normandy landings and was later posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his actions as a crew member from the USS Sanborn ( APA - 193 ) during the Battle of Iwo Jima . His Silver Star citation reads : " The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Pharmacist ' s Mate Third Class Byron Alfred Dary ( NSN : 3062778 ) , United States Naval Reserve , for gallantry in action while attached to Platoon AL of the 6th Naval Beach Battalion at the time of the Normandy landings . The Operations Plan called for the landing of this Battalion on Fox Green Beach , Omaha Sector , Normandy France , on " D - Day " , 6 June 1944 . Pharmacist ' s Mate Third Class Dary and Lieutenant , Junior Grade , F . Ramsey , ( MC ) , USNR , Medical Officer of Platoon AL , upon arrival on Dog White Beach , voluntarily turned to immediately assisting with first aid treatment of the wounded then on Dog White Beach . Not long after their arrival , while engaged in administering first aid to a wounded soldier lying in the vicinity of a burning half - track , Lieutenant , Junior Grade , Ramsey was himself seriously wounded by flying fragment of metal when the vehicle exploded . The soldier to whom Lieutenant , Junior Grade , Ramsey was giving aid was killed outright by this same explosion . Pharmacist ' s Mate Third Class Dary , who was in a position to observe this tragedy , without regard to his own safety , went immediately to the aid of his officer , administered first aid on the spot , dragged the officer to a nearby hole for safety , and arranged for the officer ' s evacuation . After seeing that all help possible had been rendered his doctor , Pharmacist ' s Mate Third Class Dary left the fox hole several times to render first aid to various other wounded men in his vicinity . Not long after the episode related above , Pharmacist ' s Mate Third Class Dary was informed that an Army Colonel was lying wounded on the shore side of a nearby stone retaining wall . The only access to the stricken Colonel was through an opening in the wall which was covered by German machine gun and sniper fire . Fully aware that this situation existed and realizing fully the hazards involved , Pharmacist ' s Mate Third Class Dary made three separate trips through this opening to administer first aid to the Colonel . While the Colonel died shortly after , Pharmacist ' s Mate Third Class Dary gave all aid possible to the dying man under the circumstances . It should be reiterated that all these activities , covering several hours , were undertaken by Pharmacist ' s Mate Third Class Dary without orders and wholly upon his own initiative . " His Navy Cross citation reads : " The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross ( Posthumously ) to Pharmacist ' s Mate Third Class Byron Alfred Dary ( NSN : 3062778 ) , United States Naval Reserve , for distinguished and conspicuous acts above and beyond the call of duty while assigned to the U . S . S . SANBORN ( APA - 193 ) and as a member of the " Beach Party " which was in combat with Japanese Forces during the Amphibious Landing of Marine Combat Teams in the initial attack and occupation of Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands . In February 1945 . During the early stage of the invasion , Pharmacist ' s Mate Third Class Dary exposed himself time after time to heavy enemy fire while salvaging medical supplies scattered along the beach and in the water . The Japanese were well entrenched and kept the beach under constant machine gun as well as heavy artillery and mortar shelling . Pharmacist ' s Mate Third Class Dary ' s total disregard of his personal safety in performing services not normally expected under conditions facing the " Beach Party " resulted in the saving of much medical equipment and supplies . He continued to render valuable services leaving cover in the area then subjected to heavy bombardment by enemy mortar and artillery fire , to perform emergency treatment of wounded men . He rendered invaluable assistance in such numerous instances that a proper count could not be maintained of individual cases . He continued these individual acts of mercy until mortally wounded while attempting to give emergency treatment to a wounded comrade at arms who was lying in an exposed position . His courage and conduct throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service . " Dary was born on March 11 , 1925 in Clinton , Wisconsin . His home of record was listed as Allen ' s Grove , Wisconsin .