Evening star., 1944-12-10

Capt. Royce M. Benson, Is, bomber
pilot. 1922 Fifty-flfth street Sc, IN
England.
Second 1t. Richard Joseph Hruby,
Air Corps, 1 Marlin green S.W.
Sergt. Everett M White, Air Corps,
1912 Eighth street NV.
Col Abbey, acting as group COM
mander, led his group to the heavily
defended synthetic oil refinery at
Blechhammer, Germany.
Routed German Attackers.
1t. Fisher was decorated for heroic
action during mission over Linz,
Austria, when a formation for which
his squadron was flying escort was
attacked by 20 enemy fighters. They
drove them off and, later, when he
and his flight leader were isolated,
they routed four enemy planes after
a fierce battle.
Sergt. Witherow was in forma-
ton of Liberator hombers on the
way to bomb an engine factory In
Vienna, when the formation was at
tackled by so enemy aircraft. He
was cited for bringing such intense
Are upon the enemy as to allow the
aircraft to safely reach their as
signed target"
Sergt. James P. LaCroix, jr, %,
combat engineer, son Of Col. and
Mrs. James P. LaCroix. 4401 Gar
rison street NV, has been awarded
the Soldiers Medal for rescuing an
officer and an enlisted man and as
sisting in rescuing civilian from
drowning in the undertow at LAVAL
Kai Beach, Kauai, T. H, on Octo-
Der S.
Hearing their cries for help" the
citation said, "Sergt. LaCrolx
plunged into the treacherous waters,
swan to the civilian in distress and
assisted in the rescue. Immediately
thereafter he returned to the ocean
and brought the enlisted man to
safety. Although nearly exhausted,
he again braved the hazardous ocean
tides for the third time and toWeo
an officer to shore"
1t. Comdr. George L. Waters, U. 5.
N. R., stationed at Anacostia, re-
ceived a special citation ribbon from
Admiral Chester w. Nimitz, COM
mander in chief, Pacific Fleet, for
initiative and tireless efforts" in
providing a continuous flow OF in
formation vital to the success of our
operation against japanese posi-
tions."
Until last September, Comdr.
Waters was Photographic officer.
Capt. Marks Wins Bronze.
Capt Edwin H. Marks, jr., 25,
twice wounded son of the former
post commander at Fort Belvoir,
Brig. Gen. Marks, has been awarded
the Bronze Star for gallantry in
action on the Italian front where
he commanded company of in
fantry.
Gen. Marks was first informed of
his sons excellent fighting record in
a letter last April from a classmate
at West Point, 1t. Gen. Jacob L.
Devers.
Eleven other men from the District
and vicinity are recipients of the
Bronze Star:
Col. Haskell Allison. U. S. A., IL
williams street. Rockville, Md, now
in France.
First 1t. Jack w. Sykes, Infantry,
4919 Forty-second place, Hyattsville,
Md.
First Sergt. John Waddington
Infantry. A B street NE.
Staff Sergt. Alvin F. Martin, In
fantry, 1920 l. street Sc.
Pfc. Robert NJ, Moore, Infantry,
1907 Second avenue. Silver Spring.
Corpl George w. Cooper. Infantry
20 Bolton avenue, Alexandria.
Maj. Harris j. North, salvage Off
Ger in the Quartermaster Corps, 1921
Second street NV, in Italy.
Pfc. Julius Vajda, 20, Infantry,
5000 Shadyside avenue, Capitol
Heights, Md, in Germany.
Maj. Joseph A. Gibbs, officer of
a troop carrier group, Ills Penn
street NE, in the European theater.
Chief Carpenter William r. Woot-
ten, Laurel, Md.
Comdr. William H. Hilands, IS,
q. S. NJ, 4807 Forty-third place
NV, now assistant to the director,
overhaul branch, Bureau of Aero
nautics.
Pushed Invasion Setup.
The citation, issued at headquar-
ters In the European theater of OPP
erations, added that Col. Allison "as
signal officer for the forward COM