The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Pharmacist’s Mate Second Class Eugene E. Atkins, United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a Corpsman attached to the FOURTH Marine Division on Roi-Namur Island. On 12 February 1944, during the bombing of Roi-Namur Island, he, with complete disregard of his own personal safety and an unequalled display of courage and coolness under fire, left a spot of comparative safety and worked steadily for fully three hours evacuating the wounded from the very near vicinity of exploding ammunition dumps and amid fire and shrapnel dressed their wounds. When word came that some men had been injured as a result of the ammunition dump, he made repeated trips through flying shrapnel and incendiary fragments to the still exploding ammunitions dumps, at first alone, and then with assistance, working steadily until daylight. His conduct throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.