The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Richard G. Harris (MCSN: 293562), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as Leader of a Fire Team of Company K, Third Battalion, First Marines, FIRST Marine Division in action against the enemy Japanese forces on Peleliu, Palau Islands on 15 and 16 September 1944. When his platoon received every effective and intense machine gun fire from a hostile pill box during an attack on enemy beach defenses, Private First Class Harris courageously crawled through the underbrush to the fortification and, after advancing to a precarious but advantageous position fired an antitank rifle grenade at the embrasure and scored a direct hit. After charging forward to the rear exit of the pill box he accurately threw in another hand grenade, thereby killing all of the occupants. When an automatic rifleman was wounded during a fierce Japanese counter attack the nest morning, he immediately seized the weapon and alternately fired it and threw countless hand grenades to inflict heavy casualties on the advancing enemy and contribute to the repulse of the attack. His outstanding courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.