The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Corporal William R. Hunter (MCSN: 1078643), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a Machine Gun Squad Leader of Company C, First Battalion, Seventh Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on the night of 22 April 1951. Repeatedly exposing himself to intense enemy fire while moving his machine gun with the assault echelon during an attack against a hostile stronghold, Corporal Hunter skillfully emplaced his weapon in a strategic, forward position in order to cover an important approach into the company defensive perimeter. Taking over the machine gun when the gunner and assistant gunner were wounded while his squad was subjected to heavy enemy attack, he kept up a withering volume of fire for over twenty minutes and succeeded in inflicting heavy casualties upon the hostile forces until he sustained severe wounds and his machine gun was completely destroyed. By his outstanding courage, aggressive leadership and unswerving devotion to duty, Corporal Hunter was directly instrumental in repulsing the enemy attack and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.