Francis Fagan Francis Fagan was a captain in the United States Marine Corps during World War II . He served as commanding officer of Company G , Second Battalion , 9th Marine Regiment , 3rd Marine Division . He was twice awarded the Navy Cross : once for his actions at the Battle of Guam , the other for his actions at the Battle of Iwo Jima . He received the second award posthumously . His first award citation reads : The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Captain Francis Louis Fagan ( MCSN : 0 - 8334 ) , United States Marine Corps , for extraordinary heroism as Commanding Officer of Company G , Second Battalion , Ninth Marines , THIRD Marine Division , in action against enemy Japanese forces on Guam , Marianas Islands , 28 July 1944 . Assuming command of a company which had lost all its officers with the exception of one , Captain Fagan immediately pushed an attack to the top of a ridge and , when a strong enemy counterattack forced his company ' s right flank to fall back after the lapse of only ten minutes , ran one hundred and fifty yards along the front line through heavy hostile fire to the right flank . Braving intense fire from screaming Japanese troops only fifteen yards away , he rallied his men and halted the withdrawal , thus preventing a break - through and repulsing the counterattack . Although wounded during the action , he continued to command his company . His inspiring leadership , courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service . His second award citation reads : The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Navy Cross ( Posthumously ) to Captain Francis Louis Fagan ( MCSN : 0 - 8334 ) , United States Marine Corps , for extraordinary heroism as Commanding Officer of Company G , Second Battalion , Ninth Marines , THIRD Marine Division , in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands , on 25 and 26 February 1945 . Determined to break the entrenched network of emplacements concealed in the massive rock formations and twisting ridges which constituted the natural ramparts of the enemy ' s cross - island defenses , Captain Fagan skillfully coordinated and led a combined tank - infantry assault against a salient Japanese strong point on the high ground west of Airfield Number Two . Boldly defying the powerfully organized opposition , he continuously exposed himself to intense machine - gun , antitank , grenade and mortar barrages as he directed the sustained fire of his automatic weapons against heavily fortified pillboxes which he personally located and , driving his tanks relentlessly forward in the face of almost insurmountable obstacles , blasted one death trap after another to make slow but steady progress toward the fanatically defended ridge position . Painfully wounded during the violent exchange of hostilities , he consistently refused evacuation and held his ground indomitably throughout the night , despite the uninterrupted bombardment of exploding mortar shells and slashing machine - gun fire maintained by the enemy . Fiercely resuming his planned close - in tactics the following morning , he led his intrepid men with dauntless courage and iron determination in a hand - to - hand assault of the contested area and succeeded in destroying several hostile fortifications before he fell , mortally wounded while leading a furious charge against a stubbornly resisting pillbox . By his outstanding valor and brilliant combat skill , Captain Fagan had effected the annihilation of approximately one hundred fifty Japanese , the destruction of more than thirty enemy fortifications and the seizure of key positions which materially furthered the operations of his division against this vital outpost of the Japanese Empire . His superb leadership and dynamic aggressiveness throughout the bitter conflict enhanced and sustained the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service . He gallantly gave his life for his country . Fagan was born in Marshall , Wisconsin , his official residence was listed as Columbus , Wisconsin .