Langdon R. Secrest’s Navy Cross citation

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

CORPORAL LANGDON R. SECREST
UNITED STATES 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 Langdon R. Secrest (332230), Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty while serving with Company G, Second Battalion, First Marines, FIRST Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces near the village of Sumeru on the Japanese-held island of new Britain, on 30 December 1943. Immediately responding to a call from an exposed machine-gun nest on the point of our defensive positions, Corporal Secrest unhesitatingly faced withering automatic-weapon fire to proceed across an open patch of ground with urgently needed belts of machine-gun ammunition. Although suffering from a high malarial fever at the time of the action, he courageously persisted in the fulfillment of his mission, insuring the continued occupation of the important advance positions before he was fatally wounded by Japanese fire. Corporal Secrest’s daring initiative, his great personal valor and resolute devotion to duty in the face of grave peril were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

Born: 4 May 1920 in Senecaville, Ohio… Home of record: Chester, Pa…. Older brother Robert was the first U.S. Congressman to resign his seat for service in World War II, serving as a Naval officer… Interred: Senecaville Cemetery in Senecaville, Ohio