The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Captain Lester S. Wass (MCSN: 0-3538), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the 5th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in action in Bois-de-Belleau, France, 11 June 1918, and near Vierzy, France, 18 July 1918. In the Bois-de-Belleau, when all the officers of his company had become casualties, Captain Wass displayed marked heroism in leading his men forward in the face of heavy machine-gun fire, assisting in the capture of many machine-guns. Near Vierzy he fearlessly exposed himself to enemy machine-gun and artillery fire, directing personally the reduction of strong points. He was killed at the head of his men, while leading an advance.





