The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Master Technical Sergeant Ralph B. Neal (MCSN: 264225), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving with the Ninth Defense Battalion, Fleet Marine Forces, as a volunteer tank radio gunner in action against enemy Japanese forces on New Georgia, Solomon Islands, in July 1943. After completing an important repair assignment on the radios of a tank platoon preparing to participate in the operations to capture Munda Airfield, Master Technical Sergeant Neal, observing that one tank was about to go into combat without a radio gunner, unhesitatingly volunteered for this duty although he had never had experience in firing a machine gun or riding in a tank. During the ensuing action against firmly entrenched hostile forces, he prevented the destruction of a tank by shooting down one of the enemy who was attempting to plant a grenade upon it. Master Technical Sergeant Neal’s courageous and skillful service throughout hazardous sorties against the enemy was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.