The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain William H. Pickett (MCSN: 0-10156), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as operations officer of the Third Battalion, Eighth Marines, SECOND Marine Division during action against enemy Japanese forces on Saipan, Mariana Islands on 15 June 1944. Although suffering from a painful head wound received in the initial phase of the landing, Captain Pickett refused to be evacuated and with the battalion command evacuated the executive commander wounded, took command of the badly disorganized battalion which was without contract with adjacent units. Realizing that the success of the operations depended upon our ability to reorganize in time to meet an expected enemy counter attack, he moved quickly from company to company through intense hostile fire and succeeded in tying in our line and in discovering the positions of the units on our flanks, thus enabling the battalion to present a coordinated, well-organized front to the enemy on the first night. Evacuated later, he returned to the front lines I four days despite the serious condition of his wound. His courage, leadership and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.