World War II Honoree

Billy J. Driver

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Clearwater, Florida

Honored By

Robert Montgomery Thomas

SERVED WITH DISTINCTION WITH HEADQUARTERS 1ST/5TH ASSAULT PLATOON AT PELELIU AS A ROCKET LAUNCHER (BAZOOKA) OPERATOR. RECEIVED NAVY CROSS SPOT AWARD. CITATION READS: THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TAKES PLEASURE IN PRESENTING THE NAVY CROSS TO BILLY J. DRIVER (337703), CORPORAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS, FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM AND DEVOTION TO DUTY WHILE SERVING AS A ROCKET LAUNCHER OPERATOR OF HEADQUARTERS COMPANY, FIRST BATTALION, FIFTH MARINES, FIRST MARINE DIVISION, IN ACTION AGAINST ENEMY JAPANESE FORCES ON PELELIU, PALAU ISLANDS, SEPTEMBER 15, 1944. WAITING UNTIL AN ENEMY TANK WAS WITHIN TEN YARDS OF HIS POSITION DURING A JAPANESE COUNTERATTACK, CORPORAL DRIVER COURAGEOUSLY STOOD UPRIGHT TO FIRE HIS BAZOOKA AND, FULLY EXPOSING HIMSELF TO THE INTENSE FIRE FROM THE TANK, SUCCEEDED IN STOPPING THE VEHICLE WITH HIS FIRST ROUND. TURNING TO ANOTHER POSITION, HE FIRED THREE MORE ROUNDS FROM HIS WEAPON AND, ALTHOUGH STILL UNDER ENEMY MACHINE GUN FIRE, HALTED TWO MORE HOSTILE TANKS WHICH HAD PENETRATED OUR LINES, THEREBY CONTRIBUTING MATERIALLY TO STOPPING THE COUNTERATTACK WHICH THREATENED TO DESTROY OUR BEACHHEAD. CORPORAL DRIVER'S OUTSTANDING COURAGE AND DEVOTION TO DUTY WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.