The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Corporal William S. Baughan (MCSN: 493465), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as Crew Chief of an Amphibian Tractor of the Third Amphibian Tractor Battalion, Third Amphibious Corps, Fleet Marine Force, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the assault on enemy-held Guam, Mariana Islands, 21 July 1944. After swimming clear of his tractor which was partially submerged after it had been struck by hostile shellfire during the landing on Agan Beach, Corporal Baughan discovered that a fellow crewman was not in sight and, swimming back to the tractor despite the shells still being fired at the hulk, located his unconscious comrade in the wreckage. Pushing the man across a floating gun platform, Corporal Baughan kept him afloat until rescued by a passing tractor. His outstanding courage and unselfish devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.