George C. Villaret

2nd Lieutenant, U. S. Marine Corps

Silver Star

GENERAL ORDERS:
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant George C. Villaret (MCSN: 0-42099), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as a Platoon Leader of Company F, Second Battalion, Fifth Marines, FIRST Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, on 2 May 1945.
When his company was pinned down by intense enemy fire and was without radio communications, Second Lieutenant Villaret unhesitatingly made his way through heavy fire to the Company Command Post and requested screening smoke. Returning to his platoon under the same perilous conditions, he expeditiously withdrew his unit under cover of the smoke screen with no further losses despite the fact that the Company's right flank was completely exposed. After withdrawal, Second Lieutenant Villaret and a corpsman returned to the evacuated position and effected the rescue of a wounded man who was lying in an exposed position, carrying him in their arms to a place of comparative e safety because there were no stretchers available. His initiative, extreme courage and coolness under fire reflect directly upon Lieutenant Villaret and the United States Naval Service.