Lewis W. Walt’s SECOND Navy Cross citation

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

LIEUTENANT COLONEL

LEWIS WILLIAM WALT, UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

for service as set forth in the following

CITATION:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Colonel Lewis William Walt (MCSN: 0-5436), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism as Executive Officer of the Fifth Marines, FIRST Marine Division, during operations against enemy Japanese forces on Peleliu, Palau Islands, from 15 to 30 September 1944. When the Commanding Officer of the Third Battalion was wounded and the Executive Officer killed during an engagement with the enemy in thick jungle on the evening of 15 September, Lieutenant Colonel Walt assumed command of the Battalion and, by his aggressive and tireless leadership in the face of hostile small-arms, mortar and artillery fire, reorganized the Battalion and enabled it to repulse a heavy Japanese counterattack during the night and push forward to its objective the following morning. On the morning of 20 September, as Regimental Executive Officer, he made his way to the northern tip of the island to direct the installation of a gun and, although under heavy sniper and machine-gun fire, remained at the gun and supervised the firing on a cave until this strong point was neutralized. His courage and inspiring leadership throughout were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.