The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Corporal James R. Parker (MCSN: 438959), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as a medium tank commander serving with Company C, Fourth Tank Battalion, FOURTH Marine Division in action against Japanese forces on Tinian, Mariana Islands on July 1944. Undaunted by intense enemy fire which halted the engineers guiding his tank through a mine field, Corporal Parker courageously moved forward in an attempt to crush the hostile positions and reaching a point only a few feet in front of a Japanese fire trench, struck a mine which blew off the track and wounded his crew. Making a gallant effort to rescue his men although wounded himself, he crawled out the escape hatch only to find there was not sufficient room to use this method of evacuation. Boldly reentering the tank, he set to work with an entrenching tool despite continuous hostile fire and succeeded in digging a trench from underneath his tank, to the tank behind through which he safely conducted the wounded men to the other vehicle. His outstanding skill and heroic conduct in behalf of others at great risk to his own life reflect the highest credit upon Corporal Parker and the United States Naval Service.