COLONEL NORMAN R. STANFORD, U.S. Marine Corps was given the Navy Cross to recognize his extraordinary heroism while serving as a Naval Gunfire Observer of Headquarters Battalion, First Marine Division, in action against Japanese Forces in Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, 3 May 1945. Advancing with his forward observer team to one of the battalion’s front line companies which was subjected to heavy fire from enemy 320-mm mortars, the then First Lieutenant Stanford realized that observation from this position was limited due to grazing hostile machine-gun fire and accurate sniper fire. Crawling alone with a radio on his back to a position over 200 yards forward of the front lines to an exposed point overlooking the enemy mortar positions, he fearlessly adjusted the burst of our heavy shells less than 100 yards from himself, thereby completely destroying three Japanese emplacements. His leadership, courage and unwavering devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.

Colonel Stanford joined the Legion of Valor in 1977 and resides in Maryland.