The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the BRONZE STAR MEDAL to
PRIVATE FIRST CLASS PHILLIP E. ARMSTRONG,
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE
for service set forth in the following
CITATION:
"For meritorious service while serving as a Radio Jeep Operator of Marine Service Squadron TWENTY-FOUR, Marine Aircraft Group TWENTY-FOUR, in action against enemy Japanese forces in the Philippine Islands Area, from 22 January to 22 February 1945. Participating in combat against the enemy for four hours during the early stages of the battle for the re-capture of Manilla, Private First Class Armstrong rendered invaluable service in maintaining perfect radio communications with Marine dive bombers. His courage and devotion to duty in the face of intense enemy machine-gun fire were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."
Private First Class Armstrong is authorized to wear the Combat "V"
For the President
Secretary of the Navy
Northern Solomon Islands Campaign (1943-44)/Battle of Bougainville
From Month/Year
November / 1943
To Month/Year
January / 1944
Description After New Georgia, the next major operation was an invasion of the island of Bougainville, which was approached by landings at Mono and Stirling in the Treasury Islands on October 25-27, 1943. A Marine division landed on the west coast of Bougainville at Empress Augusta Bay on November 1, 1943. The Marines were followed within the month by an Army division and replaced in the next month by another Army division.
It was late November before the beachhead at Empress Augusta Bay was secure. This beachhead was all that was needed, and no attempt was made to capture the entire island. Allied planes neutralized enemy airfields in the northern part of the island, and the Allied command made use of its naval and air superiority to contain the Japanese garrison on Bougainville and cut its supply line to Rabaul by occupying the Green Islands (February 14, 1944).
Despite these measures, the Japanese maintained pressure against the beachhead, mounting an especially heavy but unsuccessful counterattack as late as March 1944. Success at Bougainville isolated all Japanese forces left in the Solomons. The Japanese sustained comparatively heavy air and naval losses during the campaign, which further crippled the Japanese Combined Fleet and had a vital effect on the balance of naval power in the Central Pacific.