The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Joseph A. Van Belle (MCSN: 359165), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as a gunner in a scout plane, attached to Marine Aircraft Group Fourteen, on patrol over New George Channel, 8 October 1942. Though wounded four times while under a devastating attack by an overwhelming force of enemy fighter planes and intense anti-aircraft fire, Private First Class Van Belle maintained constant and effective fire against the superior opposition and succeeded in setting afire at least one Japanese fighter plane. Largely as a result of his heroism and fortitude under fire, the life of the pilot and the plane were saved.