The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant James J. Quill (MCSN: 307613), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of a Band Section of Headquarters Battalion, THIRD Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Guam, Mariana Islands, from 15 to 29 July 1944. Serving as a stretcher-bearer during this period, Sergeant Quill sustained a painful head wound but refused evacuation and made five trips from the front lines to the Battalion Aid Station to bring back casualties. Crawling seventy-five yards through enemy fire on two of these trips, he and three assistants dragged the stretchers and brought two wounded Marines to the aid station. Then, assisting in carrying a severely wounded Marine down a steep incline to another aid station, he continued his assiduous supervision of casualty evacuation until ordered tot eh rear for medical treatment on 29 July. By his cool courage and devotion to duty, he contributed materially to the saving of numerous lives and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.



