The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star (Army Award) to Private First Class Melvin P. Sartain (MCSN: 456166), United States Marine Corps, for gallantry in action at New Georgia, Solomon Islands, on 9 July 1943. While his platoon of which he was a member was being subjected to intense enemy light machine-gun fire, he worked his way forward and removed two wounded companions to a position in the rear of his platoon.