The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Corporal Thomas A. Watson (MCSN: 383557), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for extraordinary heroism and conspicuous devotion to duty as a Forward Artillery Observer for the Fifth Battalion, Eleventh Marines, FIRST Marine Division, during the enemy Japanese attack on Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on the night of 13 and 14 September 1942. While the First Raider Battalion was defending a ridge about 1,000 yards south of the Guadalcanal Airport against a desperate attempt by hostile forces to seize that airport, Corporal Watson, from an observation post a few feet in rear of the front line, directed the fire of his battalion so effectively that the enemy attack was disrupted and all efforts to dislodge defending troops were repulsed with heavy losses. Surrounded by and exposed to deadly fire from Japanese rifles, machine guns, hand grenades and mortars which were concentrated in the vicinity of his post, he carried on with relentless aggressiveness and complete disregard of personal safety. His unyielding devotion to duty was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.