The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Corporal William E. Tuttle (MCSN: 346286), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving with the Twenty-First Marines, THIRD Marine Division during action against enemy Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands area on September 25, 1943. Acting as captain of a 40 millimeter anti-aircraft gun mounted on a cargo ship which was being attacked while at anchor by a large number of hostile aircraft, Corporal Tuttle ably directed the firing of his gun crew, destroying at least one Japanese plane before the ship was struck by two heavy bomb s which caused serious casualties in the gun crew. With the ship in flames and its cargo of ammunition and gasoline exploding beneath the deck where the single remaining gun was mounted, Corporal Tuttle speedily organized a new crew from the survivors, gallantly manned the gun and continued to fire at the enemy until the attacking Japanese aircraft were driven off. His splendid initiative, cool courage and fearless devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.