The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Corporal George F. Abel (MCSN: 390515), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a fire team leader of Company A,, First Battalion, Twenty-Fifth Marines, FOURTH Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 19 February 1945. When his platoon’s advance was halted by intense hostile machinegun fire, Corporal Abel coordinated an assault by moving his group into firing position and directed the attack from the top of a knoll despite intense enemy mortar fire. Although severely wounded, he gave first aid to two comrades and, when his platoon was endangered by a depleted ammunition supply, crawled twenty-five yards under fire to replenish the stock, thereby contributing materially to the success of the mission in which two machine guns and a light mortar were destroyed and five Japanese killed. His courage, leadership and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.