The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Robert W. Blaine (MCSN: 510495), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a Tractor Crew Chief 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. Acting on his own initiative, Private First Class Blaine braved heavy hostile mortar fire to rescue crewmen of a shell-damaged tractor and salvage machine guns from the vehicle, which was stranded on the Asan Bay Reef. Despite a direct hit by a mortar shell, which wounded one of his crew, he continued his work until the salvage was completed and another shell had struck the tractor, wounding three, including himself. Although severely injured and suffering great loss of blood, he refused to relinquish his post and, driving three hundred yards to the beach, saw that the wounded were unloaded before turning over his controls to another driver and submitting to first aid and evacuation. His outstanding courage, perseverance and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.