The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Nicola A. Laudati (MCSN: 369616), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as Leader of a Machine Gun Section in Company G, Third Battalion, Fifth Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on 25 September 1950. When an engineer was wounded by enemy sniper fire while clearing mine fields in front of advancing friendly tanks, Sergeant Laudati ran forward from his firing position and, in the face of intense hostile fire, started to remove anti-tank mines from the path of the approaching tanks. Despite a lack of formal knowledge of mine removal operations, he continued to search out and disarm enemy mines, thereby greatly facilitating the advance of friendly tanks and infantry teams to their objectives. His outstanding courage and daring initiative reflect the highest credit upon Sergeant Laudati and the United States Naval Service.