The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Eugene Carter Rider (NSN: 0-73334), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy. On 19 February 1942, the U.S.S. WILLIAM B. PRESTON (DD-344) was anchored at Port Darwin, Australia, acting as tender for several PBY airplanes. About 1,000 enemy planes appeared over the harbor and the ship went to General Quarters and opened fire on the enemy. Lieutenant Rider was at his battle station on the Galley Deck House directing the fire of the anti-aircraft battery at the time the ship was struck by a bomb and burst into flames in the vicinity of the after deck house. The Executive Officer, whose battle station would normally have been aft with the damage control party, was on the bridge, and all but one of the after repair party were killed. Lieutenant Rider, realizing that the Executive Officer was absent from his normal station, with prompt initiative and with no concern for his personal safety, went aft to supervise fighting the fire, in spite of the fact that it was burning in the immediate vicinity of 30,000 gallons of fuel oil, fifty 500-pound bombs and the ship’s pyrotechnic locker, containing several hundred pounds of pyrotechnics, which was already on fire. He organized and took charge of the personnel in the vicinity, and directed their efforts toward isolating and extinguishing the blaze, in the face of continued enemy strafing attacks. His prompt action and courageous devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.