The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Lawrence F. Rylicki (MCSN: 813858), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a Flame Thrower Operator of Company E, Second Battalion, Twenty-fourth Marines, FOURTH Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 24 February 1945. Moving forward under hostile small-arms fire in the company of a demolitions man, Private First Class Rylicki assaulted an enemy cave position seventy-five yards forward of the front lines. Reaching the mouth of the cave just as one of the Japanese appeared at the entrance and threw a grenade at him, he disregarded the grenade and, turning his flame thrower on the cave entrance, neutralized it sufficiently to permit its complete destruction by demolitions men. When the grenade exploded, he received severe wounds and had to be evacuated. His courage and devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon Private First Class Rylicki and the United States Naval Service.