The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Private Dale E. Watts (MCSN: 366490), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism as an Automatic Rifleman serving with Company L, Third Battalion, Twenty-Second Marines (Reinforced), First Provisional Marine Brigade, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Guam, Mariana Islands, on the night of 25 -26 July 1944. When the machine-gun crew in the adjoining foxhole was killed and the gun disabled during a fierce and desperate enemy night counterattack, Private Watts unhesitatingly stood erect in his foxhole in order to compensate for his unit’s loss of neutralizing firepower and, despite intense, persistent Japanese rifle, machine-gun and mortar opposition, courageously delivered a devastating stream of automatic rifle fire which prevented the enemy from setting up and manning two heavy machine guns close by. By his indomitable fighting spirit and tenacious devotion to duty in the face of grave peril, Private Watts succeeded in annihilating twenty-five to thirty of the Japanese before dawn and contributed in large measure to the disruption of a vicious counterattack. His inspiring conduct throughout reflects the highest credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service.