The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain Wade H. Hitt (MCSN: 0-6681), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity during action against enemy Japanese forces on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands from October 31 to November 14, 1942. While serving as Artillery Liaison Officer to the Second Marines, reinforced during an offensive west of the Matanikau River, Captain Hitt not only performed his duties at the Command Post in an outstanding manner, but also, when lack of observation prevented accurate control of fire from that position, unhesitatingly proceeded to positions occupied by advance elements of assaulting units. In one instance, after an enemy artillery emplacement and dump had been located ahead of the right assault battalion, Captain Hitt, accompanied by a small patrol, advanced beyond our lines with a telephone and, under vigorous machine gun shelling directed artillery fire on this target and killed six Japanese. Carrying on until wounded in the neck and ear, he contributed greatly to the successful accomplishment of two objectives and to the maintenance of our positions against hostile attack.