The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to First Lieutenant Willis Charles Wilson (MCSN: 0-87454), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism as a Platoon Commander with Company B, First Battalion, Third Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in connection with operations against communist forces in the Republic of Vietnam on 2 April 1966. During Operation ORANGE, Lieutenant Wilson’s platoon became heavily engaged with the enemy near the hamlet of Lap Thuan. Intense enemy mortar fire, close-range small-arms fire, and barbed wire obstacles covered by automatic weapons prevented the forward movement of the platoon. Although painfully wounded during the initial mortar barrage, Lieutenant Wilson courageously moved up and down his platoon’s positions, directing his men and judiciously ordering the deployed squads to bypass the barbed wire in an attempt to eliminate the Viet Cong threat. When his platoon sergeant was wounded and became entangled in the barbed wire, Lieutenant Wilson, with complete disregard for his own safety, started across seventy-five meters of open terrain in an attempt to retrieve the mortally wounded man, who was still being hit by small-arms fire. Before he could reach the sergeant’s position, Lieutenant Wilson was caught in the hail of small-arms fire and seriously wounded in the shoulder. Although thwarted in the rescue effort, he competently resumed direction of the platoon and established a strong base of fire to provide cover for a deployed squad. When a radio operator was wounded in a sudden flurry of Viet Cong fire, Lieutenant Wilson again braved the withering fire to assist the man. For the third time, he was hit, sustaining a serious wound in the chest from small-arms fire. With extraordinary determination and presence of mind, he continued to maintain direction of his platoon. Increasing the rate of fire from his base squads, he launched an attack by the enveloping squad which finally silenced the Viet Cong fire. By his exceptional valor despite his suffering from multiple wounds, daring initiative and unswerving dedication to duty throughout, Lieutenant Wilson upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.