The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Corporal Willard P. Dowsett (ASN: 6930551), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Company E, 2d Battalion, 164th Infantry Regiment, 23d Infantry Division (Americal), in action against enemy forces at Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 22 November 1942. While preparing an assault from jungle into a clearing, Corporal Willard Dowsett volunteered to reconnoiter the area while the rest of the company remained under cover. He spotted one Japanese machine gun nest, then another, and yet another. When he shot at them, they all returned fire, giving their location away. Although killed by the machine gun fire, Corporal Dowsett had saved an entire company from moving into a deadly ambush. His extraordinary heroism and dedicated devotion to duty, without regard for his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.