World War II Honoree

Louis H. Wilson, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Brandon, Mississippi

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. CAPTAIN, U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDING RIFLE COMPANY, 2ND BATTALION, 9TH MARINES, 3RD MARINE DIVISION. PLACE AND DATE: FONTE HILL, GUAM, JULY 25-26, 1944. CITATION: 'FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY AT THE RISK OF HIS LIFE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY AS COMMANDING OFFICER OF A RIFLE COMPANY ATTACHED TO THE 2ND BATTALION, 9TH MARINES, 3RD MARINE DIVISION, IN ACTION AGAINST ENEMY JAPANESE FORCES AT FONTE HILL, GUAM JULY 25-26, 1944. ORDERED TO TAKE THAT PORTION OF THE HILL WITHIN HIS ZONE OF ACTION, CAPTAIN WILSON INITIATED HIS ATTACK IN MID-AFTERNOON, PUSHED UP THE RUGGED, OPEN TERRAIN AGAINST TERRIFIC MACHINE GUN AND RIFLE FIRE FOR 300 YARDS AND SUCCESSFULLY CAPTURED THE OBJECTIVE. PROMPTLY ASSUMING COMMAND OF OTHER DISORGANIZED UNITS AND MOTORIZED EQUIPMENT IN ADDITION TO HIS OWN COMPANY AND 1 REINFORCING PLATOON, HE ORGANIZED HIS NIGHT DEFENSES IN THE FACE OF CONTINUOUS HOSTILE FIRE. ALTHOUGH WOUNDED 3 TIMES DURING THIS 5-HOUR PERIOD, COMPLETED HIS DISPOSITION OF MEN AND GUNS BEFORE RETIRING TO THE COMPANY COMMAND POST FOR MEDICAL ATTENTION. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WHEN THE ENEMY LAUNCHED THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF SAVAGE COUNTERATTACKS LASTING ALL NIGHT, HE VOLUNTARILY REJOINED HIS BESIEGED UNITS AND REPEATEDLY EXPOSED HIMSELF TO THE MERCILESS HAIL OF SHRAPNEL AND BULLETS, DASHING 50 YARDS INTO THE OPEN ON 1 OCCASION TO RESCUE A WOUNDED MARINE LYING HELPLESS BEYOND THE FRONT LINES. FIGHTING FIERCELY IN HAND-TO-HAND ENCOUNTERS, HE LED HIS MEN IN FURIOUSLY WAGED BATTLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 HOURS, TENACIOUSLY HOLDING HIS LINE AND REPELLING THE FANATICALLY RENEWED COUNTER THRUSTS UNTIL HE SUCCEEDED IN CRUSHING THE LAST EFFORTS OF THE HARD-PRESSED JAPANESE EARLY THE FOLLOWING MORNING. THEN ORGANIZING A 17-MAN PATROL, HE IMMEDIATELY ADVANCED UPON A STRATEGIC SLOPE ESSENTIAL TO THE SECURITY OF HIS POSITION AND, BOLDLY DEFYING INTENSE MORTAR, MACHINE GUN AND RIFLE FIRE WHICH STRUCK DOWN 13 OF HIS MEN, DROVE RELENTLESSLY FORWARD WITH THE REMNANTS OF HIS PATROL TO SEIZE VITAL GROUND. BY HIS INDOMITABLE LEADERSHIP, DARING COMBAT TACTICS AND VALOR IN THE FACE OF OVERWHELMING ODDS, HE SUCCEEDED IN CAPTURING AND HOLDING THE STRATEGIC HIGH GROUND IN HIS REGIMENTAL SECTOR, THEREBY CONTRIBUTING ESSENTIALLY TO THE SUCCESS OF HIS REGIMENTAL MISSION AND TO THE ANNIHILATION OF 350 JAPANESE TROOPS.'