Santos Domingo Rodriguez

Sergeant, U. S. Marine Corps

Silver Star

GENERAL ORDERS:
Commander In Chief Pacific: Serial 36950 (January 1, 1946)
CITATION: [with lastname corrected]
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Sergeant Santos Domingo Rodriguez (MCSN: 480785), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving with a platoon of Company C, First Battalion, Fourth Marines, SIXTH Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, 16 May 1945.
Quick to act when his platoon was pinned down by an overwhelming volume of hostile mortar and machine-gun fire, Sergeant Rodriguez voluntarily reconnoitered the fire-swept area to locate strategic gun positions from which effective return fire could be brought to bear on the besieging enemy guns.
Finding no cover for the crews and very little concealment for the weapons in available positions, he determined to establish counter-fire despite the difficulties and hazards involved and ordered the guns to be brought forward and set up.
Maintaining close control of the unit as the battle raged, he unhesitatingly defied the increasing fury of Japanese gunfire when two of the gunners sustained serious wounds, dashing forward and pulling the dazed men out of the hostile lane of fire to a covered position, then returning to man a machine gun himself.
Aggressive and indomitable, he directed a steady stream of deadly fire on the enemy positions until he had effected their complete destruction.
By his fearless initiative, cool decision and dauntless fighting spirit, Sergeant Rodriguez contributed materially to the effectiveness of his Battalion's operations against this vital outpost of the Japanese Empire and his unfaltering leadership in the face of tremendous odds upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.