The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star to Colonel (Infantry) George Hobart Chapman, Jr., United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving as Commanding Officer of the 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, in action against the enemy near Palo and Pastrona, Leyte, Philippine Islands, from 21 October to 27 October 1944. On three separate occasions during this period, Colonel Chapman performed acts beyond the normal call of duty in order that he might better command his regimental combat team. On the morning of 21 October 1944, communications were out between the regimental command post and the first battalion of the regiment, which was located near Palo. Colonel Chapman, with a small detail of men, attempted to pass through the enemy lines to join this battalion to better acquaint himself with the terrain and to better employ the second battalion in taking it. On 24 October, 1944, when a force of 150 Japanese drove within 20 yards of the command post and sprayed the installation with heavy small arms and machine gun fire, Colonel Chapman personally took charge of a group of his men and fired on the enemy from a second story window of the building. When dawn came, he organized a squad and reconnoitered the escape route taken by the enemy and personally participated in clearing the area and checking some of the 20 enemy dead. Again, on the morning of 27 October 1944, when one of the battalions was busy neutralizing and destroying the enemy at Pastrona, Colonel Chapman joined the assault companies in order to better acquaint himself with the progress being made and to better employ the remainder of the combat team. On all of these occasions Colonel Chapman was under heavy mortar, machine gun, and small arms fire. His complete disregard for personal safety and his outstanding leadership were a source of inspiration to his men, and reflect the highest credit upon himself and the military service.