The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class William Q. O’Daniel (MCSN: 1091183), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as an Automatic Rifleman of Company H, Third Battalion, First Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on 15 March 1951. When his company was pinned down by a vicious hail of enemy fire during the assault of a steep hill north of Hoengsong, Private First Class O’Daniel immediately observed that the platoon on his left was being raked by fire from hostile positions obscured by a wooded section and, crawling through the intense barrage to a more advantageous point, delivered accurate and deadly fire into the positions, partially neutralizing them and distracting the enemy troops. By his prompt and daring action, he was largely responsible for the subsequent success of the harassed unit in advancing to overrun the hostile position. After rejoining his own platoon to continue in the attack against the main objective, he fired aggressively until his gun jammed and, seeing an enemy soldier attempting to hide in a foxhole, leaped into the hole and killed the man with the butt of his rifle. By his heroic initiative, indomitable fighting spirit and valiant devotion to duty in the face of heavy odds, Private First Class O’Daniel contributed materially to the success of his company and thereby upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.