United States; Silver Star (two-piece construction, silver star placed upon a bronze gilt star-shaped base, numbered "70281" on the edge of the star point at 7 o'clock, 35.5 mm x 34.2 mm, original ribbon with brooch pinback, in its cardboard box of issue, label affixed to the end panel inscribed "SILVER STAR", numbered "70281" and maker marked "THE ROBBINS CO., Attleboro, Mass."); and Navy Good Conduct Medal (bronze, impressed "KENNETH ALLEN NEAL 1943" on the reverse, 32.5 mm, "THIRD AWARD" clasp on its original ribbon with brooch pinback). Extremely fine. Accompanied by an original typewritten letter from James Forrestal, Secretary of the Navy, Washington, inscribed: "The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the SILVER STAR MEDAL to KENNETH ALLEN NEAL, CHIEF YEOMAN UNITED STATES NAVY for service as set forth in the following CITATION: "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Telephone Talker on board the U.S.S. PLAICE, during the First War Patrol of that vessel in the Bonin Islands and Kyushu Areas from June 4 to July 25, 1944. Skilled in the performance of duty at his battle station, NEAL contributed materially to the success of his vessel in delivering attacks to sink four hostile ships totalling over 18,000 tons despite severe enemy countermeasures. His courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service." "
Footnote: U.S.S. Plaice (SS-390) was a Balao-class submarine and was laid down by the Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, Maine on July 14, 1943. It was launched on November 15, 1943, sponsored by Miss Eleanor Fazzi and commissioned on February 12, 1944, with Lieutenant Commander Clyde B. Stevens in command. Following shakedown and training, U.S.S. Plaice got underway for the Panama Canal Zone on April 15th, and arrived Pearl Harbor on May 13th. She departed on June 3rd on her first war patrol in the Bonin Islands area, an archipelago of over thirty subtropical and tropical islands, some 1,000 kilometres directly south of Tokyo, Japan. U.S.S. Plaice torpedoed and sank Hyakufuku Maru on June 30th, Kogi Maru on July 5th, and Submarine Chaser No. 50 on July 18th, before returning to Midway Island. For his actions during these encounters in his role as Telephone Talker, Chief Petty Officer (Yeoman) Kenneth Allen Neal was awarded the Silver Star.