The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Lieutenant Nikolai S. Stevenson (MCSN: 0-7438), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Commanding Officer of Company C, First Battalion, First Marines, FIRST Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces in the Tenaru Sector, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, August 21, 1942. When machine gun fire from an attacking unit of 37 Japanese raked the left platoon of the company, causing several casualties, including the leader, First Lieutenant Stevenson maneuvered his remaining platoons to surround and isolate the enemy unit from its main body. In the ensuing fierce hand-to-hand combat which resulted in the destruction or capture of the entire enemy unit, First Lieutenant Stevenson personally killed the Japanese leader. His outstanding leadership and inspiring conduct contributed to the success of the engagement and eventually to the destruction of the entire enemy main body.