The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Hospital Apprentice First Class Lester K. Layton, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism while serving as a Corpsman with the Sixth Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, in action near Vierzy, France, on 19 July 1918. Hospital Apprentice First Class Layton did cool and effective work in caring for wounded under heavy fire in the open and without adequate shelter.