The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant Levi Woodbury (MCSN: 0-10997), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while a member of the First Battalion, First Marines, FIRST Marine Division in action against enemy Japanese forces during the hostile attacks in the Tenaru Sector, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands on 21 August 1942. While in command of a patrol scouting enemy positions, Second Lieutenant Woodbury, by his brilliant and skillful deployment of his men engaged a fierce attacking enemy patrol, annihilating them while he personally disposed of the Japanese leader. In the face of heavy and accurate fire from numerically superior enemy troops he unhesitatingly advanced and in the ensuing attack inflicted heavy damage on the enemy. His courageous actions contributed in a large measure to the success of this operation.