The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Raphael M. Sabatino (MCSN: 488094), United States Marine Corps, for gallantry and intrepidity as leader of a Machine Gun Section of Company H, Second Battalion, Twenty-fourth marines, FOURTH Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Namur, Kwajalein Atoll, on 1 and 21 February 1944. Participating aggressively in a fierce assault on the strongly entrenched enemy, Private First Class Sabatino unhesitatingly took up a station on top of a building and fearlessly exposed himself to the hostile installations in the vicinity. When the assault was temporarily halted later in the day, he personally manned one of the guns and, despite the enemy’s determined defensive fire, neutralized the hostile groups holding up the advance. Resolved to maintain the offensive, he fought valiantly throughout the day and night, twice frustrating the enemy’s attempts to occupy a strategic blockhouse by manning a machine gun, and continued his mission until seriously wounded. Refusing to be evacuated, he continued to direct the attack until overcome by loss of blood. By his indomitable fighting spirit, able leadership and courageous initiative, he served as an inspiration to his men and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.