The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Hospital Apprentice First Class Raymond Nickson Atkins (NSN: 5537913), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving as a Corpsman attached to Company B, First Battalion, First Marines, FIRST Marine Division, on Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, on 2 May 1945. As a Medical Corpsman attached to a reserve rifle platoon, Hospital Apprentice First Class Atkins received instruction as to the location of three severely wounded Marines in a forward assault area. With complete disregard for his own personal safety, he went forward alone in the face of extremely heavy and accurate mortar and machine gun fire to the exposed position where the three Marines were lying. Under fire continuously from the enemy, he coolly dragged two of the wounded to a small sheltered knoll and rendered first aid to them. While moving forward to evacuate the remaining Marine, Hospital Apprentice First Class Atkins was wounded in the head by enemy machine gun fire. Hospital Apprentice First Class Atkins heroic actions resulted in saving the lives of two Marines and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.