The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Platoon Sergeant Merlin F. Smidt (MCSN: 426641), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a Platoon Leader of Company B, First Tank Battalion, FIRST Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, 11 May 1945. When an infantry unit was pinned down on top of a hill and subjected to intense hostile machine gun and mortar fire, Platoon Sergeant Smidt courageously dismounted from his tank and, after crawling to the top of the hill, discovered that the Company Commander had been killed and that there were a large number of casualties in urgent need of medical attention. Deploying the riflemen in positions of vantage, he directed them in delivering covering fire on the enemy emplacements and then, organizing a stretcher team, supervised the removal of the wounded from the hill to tanks which evacuated them. By his coolness, initiative and devotion to duty, Platoon Sergeant Smidt upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.