The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant George D. Behanna (MCSN: 370203), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Tank Bulldozer Commander of Company A, Third Tank Battalion, THIRD Marine Division, during operations against enemy Japanese forces on Guam, Mariana Islands, 21 July 1944. Unable to direct his bulldozer tank from within because of limited vision and an extremely congested beach, Sergeant Behanna unhesitatingly left the inside to sit daringly on the dozer blade and, despite intense mortar and small arms fire, directed his tank by hand signals in cutting a road over the steep banks at the water’s edge, and in pulling out mired tanks, thereby getting the remainder of the tanks in his company into action with least delay. His courage, skill, initiative and zealous devotion to duty were contributing factors in the success of the operation and reflect the highest credit upon Sergeant Behanna and the United States Naval Service.