The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Robert Pavlovich (MCSN: 356613), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a platoon sergeant of Company C, First Battalion, Ninth Marines, THIRD Marine Division in action against enemy Japanese forces on Guam, Mariana Islands on 3 August 1944. During the Battle of Finegayan, Sergeant Pavlovich ran ahead of his own assault troops five times in the face of heavy hostile fire and each time throwing hand grenades at entrenched enemy machine gun and rifle positions from a distance of five yards, succeeded in destroying one machine gun nest and five of the crew thus enabling his platoon to continue the attack. When his platoon leader was wounded shortly afterwards, he assumed command of the platoon and led it in the capture of the Japanese stronghold, contributing materially to the annihilation of fifty-five Japanese by his unit during the course of the battle. His leadership, courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.