World War II Honoree

Maurice R. Amundson

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Cameron, Wisconsin

Honored By

A Grateful Nation

CAPTAIN, 2ND BATTALION, 22ND MARINES, 6TH MARINE DIVISION. AWARDED THE NAVY CROSS FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY WHILE ACTING AS THE COMMANDING OFFICER OF AN ASSAULT COMPANY IN ACTION AGAINST ENEMY JAPANESE FORCES ON GUAM, MARIANA ISLANDS, JULY 21-27, 1944. CAPTAIN AMUNDSON, THROUGHOUT THE ACTION UNTIL HIS DEATH, LED HIS MEN WITHOUT THOUGHT FOR HIS PERSONAL SAFETY. ON JULY 27, 1944, WITH HIS COMPANY ORDERED TO SPEARHEAD AN ATTACK THROUGH A PARTICULARLY STRONG ENEMY DEFENSIVE POSITION ON OROTE PENINSULA, CAPTAIN AMUNDSON KEPT THE ATTACK ROLLING DESPITE HEAVY CASUALTIES WITHIN HIS UNIT, INCLUDING TWO OF HIS OFFICERS, BY FEARLESSLY GOING INTO THE FRONT LINES TO DIRECT THE PLACING OF SUPPORTING WEAPONS, THE EVACUATION OF WOUNDED AND BY PERSONALLY EXPOSING HIMSELF TO FIRE TO POINT OUT TARGETS TO THE SUPPORTING TANKS. WHILE GIVING FIRST AID TO ONE OF HIS MEN, HE WAS KILLED BY ENEMY FIRE. HIS ACTIONS THROUGHOUT WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE U.S. NAVAL SERVICE.