The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant Louis R. Largey (MCSN: 0-22586), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as a Platoon Leader of Company C, First Corps, Medium Tank Battalion, SECOND Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces at Tarawa, Gilbert Islands, on 20 November 1943. With three of his tanks destroyed by hostile shellfire and a fourth set afire and forced to return to the beach after an aggressive fight to gain a position well within enemy lines on D-Day, Second Lieutenant Largey immediately organized the crows of his disabled vehicles and successfully led them through Japanese infested territory back to his unit. Then, leading a group of men to a tank bogged down on a reef, he fearlessly countered shattering hostile shellfire to direct the salvaging of small-arms ammunition for an infantry unit and heavy caliber shells for the one remaining tank which otherwise would have been without ammunition for a number of hours. By his daring initiative, determined leadership and cool courage in the face of grave peril, Second Lieutenant Largey contributed materially to the success of our forces in capturing the vital hostile stronghold and his tenacious devotion to duty throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.