The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant Louis H. Siau, Jr. (MCSN: 0-25970), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as an Engineer Platoon Leader of Company C, First Engineering Battalion FIRST Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Peleliu Island, Palau Group, from 15 September to 17 October 1944. Boldly leading his platoon through heavy enemy fire to carry out an urgent mission, Second Lieutenant Siau succeeded in delivering ammunition to a sector threatened by enemy attack, then moved his platoon into the line and actively assisted in the defense of the more heavily besieged units. Undaunted when his battalion’s advance into enemy territory was halted by heavily mined terrain, he expertly directed the removal of mines, thereby preventing casualties and opening the route for supply vehicles. Immediately following the capture of Ngabad Island, he personally reconnoitered a channel for landing craft, removed implanted mines and buoyed the channel. With his own platoon in a rest area on 28 September, he readily volunteered to aid an assault company which had lost all platoon leaders, and skillfully commanded a rifle platoon in the completion of a vital battalion mission. By his fearless initiative, courageous leadership and unwavering devotion to duty throughout, Second Lieutenant Siau contributed materially to the capture of this bitterly defended Japanese base and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.