Navy Cross

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BARKER, PM2C James D.	USN	20 November 43	KIA
BARR, 2nd Lt Joseph J.	019359	20 November 43	WIA
BRAY, Capt. William T.	07625	20 November 43	WIA
BROEKER, Cpl. Orville E. W.	397881	23 November 43	WIA
BROWN, Capt. Kenneth L.	07186	21 November 43	DOW
BURGESS, 1st Sgt. Wilbur M.	351916	20 November 43
BURKE, Cpl. Phillip R.	350206	20 November 43	WIA
CHAMBERLIN, Maj. William C.	05929	20-24 November 43	WIA
CLOSE, Cpl. Richard L.	367541	20 November 43	WIA
CROTTS, Cpl. Hubert D.	315561	20-24 November 43
CROWE, Maj. Henry P.	05028	20-22 November 43
DIMON, Sgt. Emmett L.	316809	20 November 43	KIA
DUFFEE, Raymond E. PfM2C	6628361	20-22 November 43
DURFEE, Charles Captain*
FIEGUTH, Walter	335667	21 Novmeber 43
FRICKS, 1st Lt. Hugh D.	011196	22 Novmeber 43	KIA
GERST, Sgt. James L.	304095	27 November 43	KIA
GODWIN, Sgt. Edward R.	265510	20 November 43
GOLDMAN, PFC James F.	335193	20 November 43
GROSS, PFC John M.	356609	20-21 November 43
HILL, Sgt. Eugene L.	325441	21 November 43
HOFMANN, 1st Lt. Wilbur E., Jr.	017133	20 November 43	KIA
IVARY, 2nd Lt. Toivo H.	016847	20 November 43	WIA
JOHNSMILLER, Cpl. Robert W.	387600	20 November 43	WIA
JOHNSON, Sgt. Roy W.	335908	20 November 43	KIA
KATSULIS, PFC Demosthenes V.	834165	27 November 43	KIA
LAWRENCE, Maj. Henry G. Jr.	05963	20-23 Novmeber 43
LUTHER, Cpl. Hubert C.	365432	20 November 43	KIA
MARSOLO, Pfc Ettore J.	421262	20 November 43	WIA
PAREDES, Cpl. Osbaldo R.	337440	21 November 43	KIA
PARKER, Lt.Wayne A.	USN	20 November 43
PETRIE, Sgt. Clarence E.	335730	21 November 43	WIA
RYAN, Maj. Michael P.	06934	20-24 November 43
SANDERS, 1st Lt. William H., II	015606	21 November 43	WIA
SCHULTE, 1st Lt. Joseph O. B.	016256	20-21 November 43	WIA
SIMONSON, Pfc. Harvey L.	423427	27 November 43
SIMPSON, Sgt. Robert E.	302593	20 November 43	KIA
SLAUGHTER, 1st Sgt.Orvan S.	248692	22 November 43	KIA
SMITH, PFC George O.	334946	20 November 43	WIA
SPILLANE, Cpl. John J.	311385	20 November 43	WIA
STAMBAUGH, Private Jack R.	330350	22 November 43	KIA
THAXTON, PFC J. D	492688	20 November 43	DOW
TOBEY, James W.	488633	20 November 43
TOLER, Sgt. Robert C	281612	20 November 43	WIA
TOMLINSON, 2nd Lt. Mark	019937	20 November 43	KIA
WIEHARDT, Sgt. Vincent H.	333564	20-21 November 43	KIA
WILLIAMS, Capt. Maxie R	07844	24 November 43	WIA
WINTERS, HA1C Robert L.	USNR	20 Novmeber 43
WITKOWSKI, Cpl. Henry J.	312182	20 November 43

The most authoritative source on Marine awards is Jane Blakeney's work which is cited below. Mrs. Blakeney worked in the USMC awards section for many years and might be considered the most knowledgeable person on Marine awards into the 1950s. For some reason missing from her list of 43 Navy Cross awardees is Merrit "Red Mike" Edson and Osbaldo Paredes. Edson of course was one of the main architects of the strike in the Gilberts and Paredes had distinguished himself in combat on Red Beach 3. Blakeney failed to include in her work Corpsmen who were awarded the Navy Cross. Five are listed here and there could be more. Lt. Wayne A. Parker, one of the crewmen from the destroyer Ringgold, is another man who was awarded the Navy Cross during the invasion of Betio. Also nominated but never awarded the Navy Cross were Sgt. James Atkins, Lt Col. Herbert Amey, Maj Henry Drewes, and Capt Bonnie Little.

* Capt. Durfee is not listed in Blakeney.

Sources

_____. History of the Medical Department of the United States Navy in World War II: A Compilation of the Killed, Wounded, and Decorated Personnel, 1953.

Interview with Ray Duffee, 2001.

Tom Godwin, information and pictures of Edward Godwin.

Jane Blakeney. HEROES U.S. MARINE CORPS 1861 to 1955 ARMED FORCES AWARDS REFERENCE BOOK , 1956.

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copyright 1998-2003 T.O.T.W.
Created September 1998 - Updated 22 May 2021

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