The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Corporal Elmer R. Portscheller (MCSN: 339870), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a scout sergeant of an artillery forward observation party of Battery H, Third Battalion, Fourteenth marines, FOURTH Marine Division in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands on 6 March 1945. When the forward observer with whom he was directing fire on the front lines was wounded by an enemy sniper, Corporal Portscheller braved the intense hostile small arms fire, crawled back over the exposed ground to his infantry company and led a corpsman and a stretcher party safely up to the wounded officer who was then evacuated. Resuming his post he took over the fire commands and continued successfully until the next morning when he was relieved by another officer. His cool courage under fire and his unselfish devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.