The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant Henry H. Czeswik (MCSN: 0-14375), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while attached to the Eighth Marines, Reinforced, SECOND Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces on Guadalcanal, Solomon Island, December 23, 1942. When a hostile strong point in front of the Third Battalion began to inflict severe casualties on his regiment, Second Lieutenant Czeswik, with alert judgment and courageous skill personally led an eight-man patrol into enemy lines under a curtain of tremendous fire. In a violent engagement against a desperate and persistent foe he and his men killed seventeen Japanese, wounded many others and destroyed a great amount of arms and ammunition. By his astute foresight and inspiring leadership, Second Lieutenant Czeswik, without a single loss to his own patrol, delivered a striking blow against the enemy and successfully removed a dire threat to the security of our position.