The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain Douglas Whipple (MCSN: 0-8546), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as a Patrol Commander of the First Battalion, Ninth Marines, THIRD Marine Division in action against enemy Japanese forces in the Cape Torokina Area, Bougainville, Solomon Islands on 24 December 1943. Reconnoitering hostile trails and positions, Captain Whipple led his patrol a distance of twelve hundred yards through Japanese infested territory to discover and enter the bivouac area of a strong enemy force whose heavy barrage of machine gun, grenade and rifle fire separated his patrol into two groups. Boldly meeting the challenge, he led his group in an aggressive attack during which it annihilated ten Japanese in an entrenchment and inflicted numerous other casualties after which he skillfully disengaged the group and led it around the hostile position to his own lines. When several of his men became separated from the group while retiring from the area, he returned alone into the jungle and after killing a Japanese soldier whom he encountered, located all the missing men. By the valuable information secured on this hazardous mission, he contributed materially to the safety of our positions by enabling our forces to plan accurate artillery fire and aerial bombardment upon the enemy emplacements. His courage, leadership and gallant devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.