The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Rolland L. Snyder (MCSN: 260751), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as an Acting Rifle Platoon Leader of Company A, First Battalion, Ninth Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 27 February 1945. While his company was held up by strong enemy forces entrenched in caves and pillboxes on a strategic ridge, Sergeant Snyder braved the intense hostile fire and, moving rapidly forward over a distance of thirty yards, neutralized an enemy position with grenade and automatic rifle fire at point-blank range. In a similar manner, he reached a hostile pillbox which was covering one end of the contested ridge with heavy fire and, by grenade and automatic weapon fire from a distance of a few yards, succeeded in killing the enemy within. Sergeant Snyder contributed materially to the success of his company in seizing the ridge, and his aggressive fighting spirit was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.