The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Gerald V. Sucher (MCSN: 859409), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a Member of a Combat Patrol of Headquarters and service Battery, Twelfth Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces in the vicinity of the Asan River, Guam, Mariana Islands, 26 July 1944. When enemy assault troops penetrated our lines and captured a machine-gun position in the regimental command post, Private First Class Sucher volunteered to join a patrol assigned to attempt a flanking attack on the enemy. After his patrol was fired on, he took charge and, placing his men in position to fire on the Japanese, proceeded to a location exposed to enemy small arms fire and delivered accurate and effective fire which forced the enemy to take cover and enabled his patrol to advance. Later in the same engagement, he volunteered to go with a patrol to recover the bodies of men killed in action and, after this mission, returned to participate in the final frontal attack on the enemy position. His skill, courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.