The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Marion D. Arnold (MCSN: 668026), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a Machine Gun Squad Leader of the Second Battalion, First Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced), during operations against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on 26 September 1950. With his platoon engaged in bitter house-to-house street fighting in the assault through the city of Seoul, Private First Class Arnold manned his machine gun from a roadblock and delivered covering fire for riflemen as they moved forward. Unable to give maximum effective fire from his position when the platoon received heavy small arms and anti-tank gun fire, he voluntarily moved his gun across the street in the open and directly in the zone of hostile fire where he could train his gun on the enemy. When an anti-tank shell seriously wounded his assistant gunner and knocked them both to the ground, he crawled back to his gun, placed it in action and brought its fire to bear to silence the anti-tank gun, thereby enabling the supporting rifle platoon to continue its advance. By his daring initiative, gallant fighting spirit and heroic actions at great risk to his own life, Private First Class Arnold served as an inspiration to all who observed him and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.