The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Joe V. Lowery (MCSN: 436973), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as Scout of an Assault Squad of Company I, Third Battalion, Ninth Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces in the Area between Finnegan and Mount Berrigada, Guam, Mariana Islands, on 13 August 1944. When his patrol was fired upon by enemy machine guns, rifles and mortars from well-entrenched enemy positions, Private First Class Lowery crawled about thirty yards in the face of enemy opposition to deliver fire on the hostile weapons and, locating a machine gun and several Japanese riflemen, directed the fire on his comrades upon the enemy emplacement. Detecting another enemy machine gun and mortar, he aided in wiping out the crews, personally accounted for seven of the twenty-one Japanese who were annihilated in both actions, thereby contributing materially to the resumption of the advance by his platoon. His skill, courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.