The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Lawrence V. Sheridan (MCSN: 348678), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a Squad Leader of Company C, First Battalion, Fifth Marines, FIRST Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Peleliu, Palau Islands, 15 September 1944. When enemy infiltrating troops had annihilative a number of men of his machine-gun squad and their supporting riflemen, Sergeant Sheridan continually exposed to the unseen enemy about him in order to visit all gun positions, effect necessary changes of location and direct the defensive action, thereby succeeding in stopping a strong hostile counterattack which threatened to sever all contact between his men and the adjoining Regiment. When enemy short-range artillery fire pinned down the neighboring Marines in shell holes and trenches on the exposed north edge of the airstrip on the following day, he went forward through the Japanese fire and succeeded in spotting the enemy’s artillery observation post and in directing fire which destroyed the position. Assuming command of a machine gun platoon on 25 September, he contributed materially to the effective function of his unit. His courage, leadership and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.