The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Captain William H. McDonough (MCSN: 0-672), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Commanding Officer of Company G, Second Battalion, Twenty-first Marines, THIRD Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces at Bougainville, Solomon Islands, from 18 to 22 November 1943. Gallantly leading a platoon of his company through Japanese infested territory to reinforce a patrol then in contact with hostile troops, Captain McDonough immediately assumed command and established a perimeter defensive position for the night. When the Japanese suddenly attacked in the darkness and killed or wounded several of his men, he remained steadfast and courageous, expertly supervising the administration of medical aid and maintaining control of his men throughout the fierce action. The following day, he dispatched patrols throughout the area to obtain information on enemy dispositions before evacuating all the dead and wounded to our front lines. Ordered to patrol a gap between the lines of his battalion and those of an adjacent battalion on 22 November, he bravely led his company against a fiercely resisting enemy deeply entrenched in jungle terrain and, by his superb leadership and daring tactics, accomplished his mission and brought his men back without casualties. By his dauntless perseverance, outstanding fortitude and inspiring devotion to duty in the face of tremendous odds, Captain McDonough contributed materially to the success of the Bougainville Campaign and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.