The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant William A. Linton, Jr. (MCSN: 0-26230), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Language Officer of the Intelligence Section of the FIRST Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Peleliu, Palau Islands, on 10 October 1944. Voluntarily requesting and gaining permission to enter fiercely-defended enemy territory in order to obtain the surrender of a large number of Koreans reported to be in caves in front of our lines, Second Lieutenant Linton risked ambush by entering and exploring two caves of great depth. Encountering two groups of Koreans who could have cut him off from aid if they had chosen to attack him, he employed his fluent command of the Korean language and, through skillful persuasion, effected the surrender of both groups. Conducting the entire group of forty-nine through our lines, Second Lieutenant Linton obtained information from these prisoners which proved to be of material intelligence value to our forces. His skill, initiative and courageous devotion to duty in the face of grave personal danger reflect great credit on Second Lieutenant Linton and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.