Arthur B. Ervin, Jr.

Sergeant, U. S. Marine Corps

Navy Cross

GENERAL ORDERS:
SPOT AWARD, Commander in Chief Pacific Forces: Serial 2788
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Corporal Arthur B. Ervin (MCSN: 285038), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty while serving with Company A, First Battalion, Twenty-Fourth Marines, FOURTH Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the invasion of Namur Island, Kwajalein Atoll, on 1 February 1944.
Advancing with his company around the eastern perimeter of the Island, corporal Ervin skillfully located and led the attack upon each hostile strong point in this zone of action. Although wounded in a single-handed assault upon an enemy heavy machine-gun nest, he returned to initiate a raid into an occupied blockhouse and, after climbing to a dangerously exposed position on its top, immediately poured rifle fire into a near-by Japanese trench fortification and exhorted his comrades to press home their attack. When painfully wounded for the second time, he gallantly refused to let anyone endanger himself by coming forward to help and, after pulling himself to safety and having his wounds dressed, retired only on the orders of his Commanding Officer. His determined fighting spirit and inspiring performance of duty throughout these bitter engagements reflect the highest credit upon Corporal Ervin and the United States Naval Service.