The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Thomas J. Brenton (MCSN: 272589), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action as a gun captain while serving with the Third Marines, THIRD Marine Division, during the landing operations at Cape Torokina, Bougainville Island, on 1 November 1943. Realizing that it was not possible to destroy all of the enemy reinforced bunkers by infantry action without tremendous loss of life, Sergeant Brenton unhesitatingly exposed himself to hostile machine-gun, rifle, and mortar fire in order to study the Japanese emplacements and devise a plan for bringing up his 74 millimeter gun to a strategic location from which to fire into a key bunker. Subsequently completely his survey and deciding upon an approach, he guided the gun to the selected position and, although the high brush made it necessary to drive the weapon up so close that it was endangered by fragments from its own shell, ordered the gun fired and destroyed with twelve enemy defenders. Sergeant Brenton’s splendid initiative and courageous conduct under difficult conditions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.