The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class Burnette Napier, United States Naval Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as a Medical Corpsman serving with Company B, First Battalion, First Marines, FIRST Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces at Peleliu, Palau Islands, on 20 September 1944. When his assault platoon suffered numerous casualties during an attack against a steep coral ridge heavily fortified by numerous automatic weapons emplaced in caves and concealed by dense undergrowth, Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class Napier boldly ran forward to the aid of a fire team leader who was lying wounded and caught in the sweeping crossfire of two enemy machine guns. Shielding the man with his own body, he rendered first aid under intense fire before carrying him to a position of safety. By his daring initiative, cool courage and unselfish devotion to duty, Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class Napier upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.