The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Manuel N. Ramirez (MCSN: 376914), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as an Automatic Rifleman of Company F, Second Battalion, Twenty-first Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Guam, Mariana Islands, 21 July 1944. When his company’s advance was halted by hostile mortar fire during an attack against strongly-defended enemy positions, Private First Class Ramirez courageously proceeded alone over rugged terrain in the face of heavy enemy small-arms fire and charged the Japanese emplacement. Completely surprising the enemy, he destroyed the weapon and killed its crew, following the suicide of the officer in charge, thereby enabling his company to advance and seize the objective. By his daring initiative and devotion to duty, Private First Class Ramirez upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.