The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Master Gunnery Sergeant James G. Blalock, United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving with the First Marines, FIRST Marine Division. During the afternoon of 7 August 1942, Master Gunnery Sergeant Blalock with Lieutenant Port and a runner accompanying him left the command group of the Weapons Company to join the forward echelons. During the advance Master Gunnery Sergeant Blalock and his group became separated from other units but continued to advance toward the Battalion objective. Upon reaching it the following morning and finding no friendly units there they returned toward friendly units which had apparently been engaged in a fire fight. About 1530 the afternoon of 8 August, while breaking a trail through dense jungle in enemy territory, Master Gunnery Sergeant Blalock suddenly caught sight of two Japanese. Alone and with utter disregard of his personal safety, he approached the Japanese and succeeded in their capture. During the actual landing subsequent events, Master Gunnery Sergeant Blalock’s actions were of the highest degree. On the evening of Saturday, 24 October 1942, Master Gunnery Sergeant Blalock suffered a heart attack. Shortly after his recovery and upon the doctor’s recommendation, he was ordered to the hospital. En route to the hospital the enemy artillery interdicted the road on which he was traveling. Master Gunnery Sergeant Blalock, sitting in the front seat of a jeep caught sight of two Japanese in the underbrush. Master Sergeant Blalock, with extraordinary heroism and utter disregard for his own personal safety, entered the underbrush with drawn pistol and returned with nine Japanese prisoners. Still under heavy shell fire he returned with the prisoners to his Battalion Command Post and delivered them to proper authority.