The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Staff Sergeant LeRoy Elbert Norton (ASN: 20933514), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Company I, 3d Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, in action against enemy forces on 17 January 1943, at Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. Sergeant Norton accompanied a patrol which was advancing to contact another unit in order to eliminate enemy resistance between them. His patrol was met by the fire of two enemy machine guns and when they withdrew, a third machine gun opened fire on the patrol and wounded the leader in both legs. Sergeant Norton ran to his leader and, although wounded in the arm, dropped to the ground and rolled himself and the officer out of the line of fire. Sergeant Northon’s actions saved the wounded officer from almost certain death. His extraordinary heroism, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 25th Infantry Division, and the United States Army.
Sponsored by:
Awards Received
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Distinguished Service Cross
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Distinguished Service Cross
Service:
United States ArmyRank:
Staff SergeantBatallion:
3d BattalionRegiment:
161st Infantry RegimentDivision:
25th Infantry DivisionAction Date:
July 28, 1943
Headquarters, U.S. Army Forces in the South Pacific Area, General Orders No. 450 (November 29, 1943)The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Service Cross to Staff Sergeant LeRoy Elbert Norton (ASN: 20933514), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Company I, 3d Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, in action against enemy forces at New Georgia, Solomon Islands, on 28 July 1943. Staff Sergeant Norton was a member of a 10-man patrol which broke the enemy’s hold on a strategic position which had stood up under the ceaseless poundings of large-scale assaults and was blocking the sweep toward Munda Airfield. Catching the enemy completely off its guard while reconnoitering the position, the patrol was ordered to strike and destroy enemy pillboxes before an overwhelming opposing strength could outweigh the advantage of sudden attack. Sergeant Norton crawled forward unnoticed from shell hole to shell hole until he was only six feet from hostile guns. Then, firing with unerring aim as he boldly advanced through a nest of pillboxes, he destroyed machine guns and killed one surprised Japanese after another on all sides before they could recover from the shock of his swiftness and daring. Those who rose to fight him off he shot down before they could open fire. By the time the patrol had securely driven a wedge into the stronghold of a stunned enemy, Sergeant Norton had accounted for the destruction of three pillboxes, two machine guns and seven of the enemy. Staff Sergeant Norton’s extraordinary heroism, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 25th Infantry Division, and the United States Army.