Robert J. Oswald Jr.’s Navy Cross citation

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the NAVY CROSS posthumously to

SERGEANT ROBERT J. OSWALD, JR.
U.S. MARINE CORPS

for service as set forth in the following

CITATION:

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Robert J. Oswald, Jr. (304048), Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty while serving with the First Amphibian Tractor Battalion, FIRST Marine Division, during the attack on the Japanese-held Cape Gloucester Airdrome, New Britain Island, on 26 December 1943. Serving as volunteer crew chief and gunner of an amphibious tractor assaulting an enemy pillbox impeding the advance of our troops, Sergeant Oswald, manning a machine gun mounted on the rail of the tractor, skillfully directed the hazardous advance of his crew into enemy lines until the machine became temporarily wedged between two trees in the dense jungle about fire yards from the hostile pillbox. Exposed to an immediate and withering counterattack by the enemy in this perilous position, Sergeant Oswald fought his gun valiantly and directed the fire of his crew, contributing materially to the annihilation of sixty Japanese. Mortally wounded by sniper fire during this action, Sergeant Oswald, by his exceptional courage, had made possible the advance of our troops against the enemy. His daring initiative and intrepid devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

Born: 29 March 1920 in Philadelphia, Pa…. Assigned to B Company, 1st Amphibian Tractor Battalion… Interred: Arlington Cemetery in Drexel, Pa.