The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant (Infantry) Robert L. Ralston, United States Army, for gallantry in action during the invasion of Normandy, France, on 6 June 1944. Although severely wounded by German machine gun fire when his assault craft was hit, Lieutenant Ralston crawled from the place of comparative safety to which he had been carried, and tried to salvage a machine gun from the sunken craft. Failing in this, he carried an abandoned bazooka from the wreckage, and directed its fire, and that of a mortar, on German positions, succeeding in neutralizing several of them. He continued to carry out this mission until he was evacuated. His gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty, without regard for his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.