Richard T. Snyder

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Richard T. Snyder, Boatswain’s Mate First Class, U.S. Coast Guard, for gallantry in action in the amphibious attack on Biak Island, Schouton Group, Dutch New Guinea, on 27 May 1944. When members of the party landed and were subject to severe hand grenade fire from Japanese troops in two caves in the cliff near the beach, Boatswain’s Mate First Class Snyder procured hand grenades, returned to the cliff area and eliminated enemy resistance, killing the four Japanese hidden in the caves. By his initiative and resourceful fighting qualities under fire he defeated enemy resistance and made possible the expeditious landing of vital material without casualty.