The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Corporal Richard G. Schmidt (MCSN: 455621), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a Rifle Squad Leader of Company B, First Battalion, Twenty-FIRST Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 3 March 1945. Determined to reduce the tremendous volume of fire that was holding up his platoon’s advance, Corporal Schmidt set out alone, in the face of intense enemy rifle and machine-gun fire, to locate two well-concealed hostile pillboxes and, leading his men in the attack, personally accounted for one of the hostile emplacements by throwing hand grenades while his men aided in destroying the other. His courage, leadership and devotion to duty upheld the highest traditions of the Unites States Naval Service.