The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class George R. Kelly (MCSN: 328924), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity during action against enemy Japanese forces on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on October 25, 1942. When the forward observing party of Battery B, First Battalion, Eleventh Marines, FIRST Marine Division, occupied a position in the front lines of the south defense sector of the Guadalcanal airfield, they came under heavy fire from an enemy machine gun which has been deeply emplaced the night before. Since our own small arms were ineffective against the weapon and its proximity rendered employment of artillery dangerous to our own troops, Private First Class Kelly and another Marine, armed with hand grenades, crawled toward the hostile gun while it was still firing over their heads and succeeded in silencing it. His courageous initiative, maintained at great personal risk in the face of grave danger, was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.