The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain Louis G. Ditta (MCSN: 0-7273), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while attached to the Seventh Marines, FIRST Marine Division, in combat against enemy Japanese forces on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on October 26, 1942. Although wounded in the leg early in the morning, Captain Ditta refused to leave the battlefield and with daring tenacity manned a 60 mm. mortar, elevating it with his right hand as he fired with his left at the extremely close range of fifty to seventy-five yards. By his initiative, skill, and heroic devotion to duty he assisted materially in the success of the counterattack which completely repulsed the enemy.