The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain Robert G. Reynolds (MCSN: 0-8887), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Commanding Officer of Reconnaissance Company, Headquarters Battalion, FIFTH Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces off Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, on 17 February 1945. In the face of extremely heavy and accurate enemy shore battery fire, Captain Reynolds courageously boarded a Naval craft with his reconnaissance party but was thrown from the bridge ladder to the deck below and painfully bruised and stunned when the vessel sustained a direct hit shortly after his arrival. Undaunted by his wounds, he insisted on continuing his mission and, despite the sustained hostile shore battery fire, carefully observed, recorded and evaluated the beach defenses. Later that same day, he took a detail of men aboard a small landing craft and proceeded to within three hundred yards of the western beaches under continuous accurate shore battery and machine-gun fire. His indefatigable courage and determined devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.