Harold Dewitt Hassell

Private 1st Class, U. S. Marine Corps

Silver Star

GENERAL ORDERS:
Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force Pacific: Serial 99678
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Harold D. Hassell (MCSN: 843126), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a Member of a Machine gun Squad with the First Battalion, Fourth Marines, SIXTH Marine Division in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa Shima, Ryukyu Islands on 21 May 1945.
When his squad was halted and pinned down in a fire lane by enemy fire, and two members of the squad were wounded, Private First Class Hassell unhesitatingly went to their aid and, after having dragged one of them to safety, started to pull the second one to cover when he was seriously wounded. Upon being evacuated, he refused medical aid until his comrades had been treated. By his courage and devotion to duty he upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.