The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant William T. Cochran (MCSN: 335133), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a Squad Leader of Company A, First Battalion, Seventh Marines, FIRST Marine Division in action against enemy’s Japanese forces on Peleliu, Palau Islands on 17 September 1944. When intense machine gun and rifle fire from a hostile pillbox temporarily halted the advance of his squad during a company attack on the southwestern peninsula, Sergeant Cochran skillfully maneuvered his reserve fire team into a position from which it could effectively place covering fire on the enemy entrenchment. In the face of increased fire from other hostile emplacements, he crept to a pint from which he could approach the pillbox from the flank and although wounded in the chest and arms by a Japanese mortar shell, continued his advance toward the emplacement. Attacking the pillbox with smoke grenades and an automatic weapon, he destroyed the hostile machine gun, killed five of the enemy and despite the continued loss of blood from his wounds persisted in directing his squad’s assault on the remaining hostile defenses until he was ordered to return to the aid station. His aggressive leadership, indomitable fighting spirit and courageous devotion to duty reflect great credit on Sergeant Cochran and the United States Naval Service.