The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Private First Class William R. Castle (MCSN: 456666), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for extraordinary heroism as an Automatic Rifleman serving with the First Battalion, Ninth Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces in the Finegayan Area, Guam, Mariana Islands, on 3 August 1944. When his platoon was held up by intense machine-gun and rifle fire from a strongly fortified enemy position, Private First Class Castle unhesitatingly and with aggressive determination advanced approximately one hundred yards forward of his unit and, alternately firing his automatic rifle and throwing hand grenades, furiously rushed the entrenched hostile emplacements, destroying one machine gun and killing thirteen of the enemy before he was mortally wounded. By his splendid initiative and indomitable fighting spirit, Private First Class Castle enabled his platoon to advance and overrun the extensive hostile defensive positions, destroy forty-five Japanese and rout the remainder, and his valiant devotion to duty was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.