The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Gordon R. Krause (MCSN: 402241), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with the Ninth Defense Battalion, Fleet Marine Force, operating against enemy Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands Area on July 26, 1943. When a tank was disabled by a magnetic mine in enemy territory, Private First Class Krause realized that it might be used by the Japanese against our forces and, with utter disregard for his own personal safety, volunteered to tow it to our lines. Leaving his own tank, he ran into the open and, in the face of hostile fire from snipers, machine guns and mortars, helped to attach a cable to the crippled tank and secure it to another. Then entering the damaged machine, he assisted in guiding it back within range of our lines, thereby preventing the use of its tremendous fire power against our own troops. Private First Class Krause’s extreme valor and unselfish devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.