Arthur F. D. Bartholmew’s Navy Cross citation

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to

Arthur F. D. Bartholmew

First Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps

for service as set forth in the following

CITATION:

for extraordinary heroism and conspicuous devotion to duty while serving as leader of a patrol of Third Battalion, First Marines, FIRST Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands on 25 October 1942. Searching for a body of hostile troops reported to have infiltrated through a wooded area in rear of the left flank of the Third Battalion, First Marines, First Sergeant Bartholomew, with cool courage and utter disregard for his own personal safety, led a patrol of three men until he located fifteen Japanese equipped with a heavy machine gun, immobilized by the fire of another unit. After he and his patrol had killed all the enemy and destroyed the machine gun, First Sergeant Bartholomew, on several occasions, stood up in full view of the hostile forces in order to draw their fire and force them to disclose their positions. His courageous initiative and aggressive leadership were responsible for the success of the patrol and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Unites States Naval Service.