World War II Honoree

David C. Hay, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

South Bend, Indiana

Honored By

Cole Hay

Relationship

Son

CITATION: 'FOR MERITORIOUS AND HEROIC SERVICE IN ACTION AGAINST JAPANESE FORCES ON GUAM, MARINE ISLANDS, ON JULY 23, 1944. WHEN IT BECAME APPARENT THAT 2 INFANTRY COMPANIES WERE DANGEROUSLY LOW ON SMALL-ARMS AMMUNITION AND HAND GRENADES, HE WAS ONE OF A GROUP WHO VOLUNTEERED TO CARRY THE SUPPLIES FORWARD UNDER A HEAVY CONCENTRATION OF ENEMY MORTAR AND SMALL-ARMS FIRE. DUE TO THE CRITICAL SITUATION IT WAS NECESSARY THAT HE CARRY CASES OF AMMUNITION UP A STEEP AND TORTUOUS PATH TO A RIDGE HELD BY THE FRONT-LINE COMPANIES. HE CONTINUED THIS HAZARDOUS AND EXHAUSTING WORK UNTIL THE SUCCESS OF THE COMPANIES WAS INSURED AND EVEN THEN, DESPITE THE FACT THAT HE WAS NEAR COLLAPSE, HE CARRIED ON, RENDERING ASSISTANCE TO THE WOUNDED AND CARRYING MORE SUPPLIES. THROUGHOUT THIS ACTION HIS COURAGEOUS DEVOTION TO DUTY WAS AN INSPIRATION TO THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH HIM AND HIS CONDUCT THROUGHOUT WAS IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE U.S. NAVAL SERVICE.' G. B. ERSKINE, MAJOR GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDING, 3RD MARINE DIVISION, FLEET MARINE FORCE.