The citation was made , said the navy department, by the commander-in-chief, United States Pacific fleet, for "cool thinking, devotion to duty, and total disregard for personal safety."

The naval announcement said that during "intense opposition,he (Barnhill), organized a party of hospital corpsmen and stretcher bearers and successfully evacuated many seriously wounded men from an insecure position of the beachhead."
Wilmington News, 7-13-1944

WWII U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier Muster Rolls, 1939-1949
Name: Roy J Barnhill
Ship Name: Intrepid
Ship number: CV-11
Sail Date: 16 Mar 1944
Roll: MIUSA2006_082849


1945 Roy James Barnhill, Pharmacist, USNR, son of Mr. and Mrs. John H. Barnhill of Hampstead, has been presented with a Presidential Unit Citation "for outstanding performance in combat during the seizure and occupation of the Japanese held Atoll of Tarawa, Gilbert Island, Nov, 20-24-1943,"

Presentation of the award was made by Commodore Stanley J. Mitchell, USN, commanding officer of the Naval Air Station, Alameda, Ca., where Barnhill is now assigned to the medical department.

Barnhill, whose wife, Mrs. Irene Rae Barnhill and two sons, Roy James, Jr., 2 � years, and Warren Ray, 2 months of age, live at 575 Cleveland avenue, Salt Lake City, Utah, was graduated from the Topsail (North Carolina) high school. In addition to the Presidential Citation, he holds the silver star, American defense-Asiatic theatre and good conduct ribbons.
Wilmington News, 7-11-1945