The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Corporal Thomas W. Armstrong (MCSN: 436947), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against Japanese forces while serving as a squad leader in a Marine Rifle Platoon in the vicinity of Mount Chachac, Guam, Mariana Islands, on 27 July 1944. Corporal Armstrong, leading a patrol in front of a security platoon, showed courageous initiative when an enemy machine gun opened fire on the patrol. He maneuvered his men into positions where they could better fire on the enemy. Then with utter disregard for his own safety, in the face of heavy enemy machine gun and rifle fire, he crawled a distance of twenty yards to a position where he could fire directly into the enemy. When his rifle jammed, he took an automatic rifle from a member of his squad, moved forward through exploding enemy grenades and wiped out the enemy position, personally killing seven of the ten Japanese. His brave conduct was responsible for the destruction of the enemy position and for preventing casualties among his men. He displayed outstanding bravery, coolness, and disregard of his own personal safety, and his actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.