The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain Philip C. Roettinger (MCSN: 0-8238), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action as Executive Officer of the Weapons Company, First Battalion, Third Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in the landing on the beach at Cape Torokina, Bougainville Island, on 1 November 1943. In the face of intense enemy opposition, Captain Roettinger led his boat team in a daring charge through the hostile defenses to a position in the rear and started a reconnaissance to establish contact with other units. Discovering that the left and center companies of the Battalion were widely separated and that three heavily defended Japanese bunkers between them were delivering flanking machine-gun and grenade fire on the disorganized center company, he courageously approached the bunkers close enough to study them and arrive at a plan for their destruction, then returned to his boat teams, organized them into fire units and conducted them to strategic positions from which to attack the bunkers. Constantly in the line of hostile fire, he coolly walked about among his men, directing their efforts and coordinating the attacks until grenadiers and submachine gunners were enabled to rush in and kill the enemy in the bunkers, thereby eliminating the flanking fire which seriously endangered the center company and threatened to prevent the junction of the left company with the remainder of the Battalion. Captain Roettinger’s inspiring leadership and expert tactical skill throughout this vital engagement were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.