WALTER FIEGUTH, then Platoon Sergeant, United States Marine Division during action against enemy Japanese forces on Tarawa, Gilbert Islands on November 21, 1943. While his platoon of light tanks was aground on a coral reef, he braved enemy machine gun fire and waded to the beach to find a shallow water path through which to lead his tanks ashore. Wading to within 200 yards of the shore, he returned to his tank and attempted a landing in water approximately three feet deep. He successfully led his tank 800 yards across a shell-packed reef and a mined beach, contacted the battalion commander, and then returned to the beach and guided the remainder of the platoon ashore under cover of darkness. During this entire operation he was under heavy enemy fire. Platoon Sergeant Fieguth’s extraordinary heroism, devotion to duty, mainted with utter disregard of personal safety and with only one thought in mind, “To get his platoon of tanks safely ashore,” were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Mr. Fieguth resides in California.