Evening star., 1945-08-22
Awards Presented
Ten Naval Officers
Living in D. {. Area


Ten naval officers at present on
duty in Washington and who live in
the Metropolitan Area yesterday
were presented decorations at for
NAL ceremonies in the Office of As
sistant Secretary of the Navy for
Air John L. Sullivan.
Rear Admiral julius A. Furer, re-
tired, 2101 Connecticut avenue, re-
ceived the Legion of Merit for ex-
ceptionally meritorious conduct as
co-ordinator of research and de-
velopment from December, 1941 to
May, 1945. He will return to inac-
tive duty shortly.
Capt. Laurence H. Frost, 545l
Forty-Second street NV, received
Gold Star in lieu of a second Sill
yer Star Medal, for gallantry and
intrepidity as commanding offcer
of the U. S. S. Waller, operating as
part of task force in action against
enemy Japanese forces at Kolom-
bangara, Solomon Islands, on March
S, 1943.
Other officers decorated are:
Comdr. Wilfred A. Walter, u. S. N,
$50 North Oakland street. Airing
ton, Va, the Bronze Star for meri-
torious achievement as commanding
officer of the U. S. S. william q.
Porter in action against enemy
Japanese forces in the Okhotsk Sea
from March to S, 1914.
Comdr. Robert J. Hardy, 231 North
Greenbrier street, Arlington, the
Navy Cross, for extraordinary hero
ism as commanding officer of the
U. S. S. Halford in action against
major units of the enemy Japanese
fleet during the battle of Surigao
Strait October 25, 1914.
Comdr. william J. johnson, 7o2
Grandview drive, Alexandria, Va,
the Silver Star, for conspicuous GAL
lantry and intrepidity as command
ing officer of the u. s. s. David W.
Taylor during action against the
enemy japanese forces at Chichi
Jima, Bonin Islands on January S,
1945.
Comdr. Robert H. Taylor, 1927
North Hartford street, Arlington,
the Bronze Star, for meritorious
achievement as navigation officer
serving on board the U. S. S. Nash
vile during operations against
Japanese forces in the Pacific, from
February, 1914. to January, 1945.
Capt. Frank P. Kreuz, Medical
Corps, 1880 East West highway.
Silver Spring, Md, the Bronze Star
for meritorious achievement as
senior medical officer on board the
U. S. S. Washington, in connection
with operations against Japanese
forces, from November, 1943, to
February, 1945
1t. Comdr. Donald Gay, jr., the
Air Medal, for meritorious achieve
ment in aerial flight as pilot of a
PB4Y-1 attached to a patrol bomb
ing squadron during anti-subma-
rine patrols in the Bay of Biscay
and the North Atlantic areas from
September, 1943, to September, 1914
Comdr. Mel A. Peterson, $500 South
Utah street. Arlington, a Gold Star
in lieu of the second Bronze Star,
for heroic achievement as command
ing officer of the U. S. S. Cooper
when that vessel was attacked and
sunk by japanese forces during
operations in Ormoc Bay, Leyte,
Philippine Islands, the night of
December 2-3. 1914.
1t. d. g.) Willis b. Coleman, 1851
North Falkland lane, Silver Spring,
the Bronze Star, for heross achieve !
men while a passenger on board
the U. S. S. LIST 472 when that vessel
was struck by hostile dive bomber
during japanese aerial attack.
Other decorations bestowed. on
naval officers announced yesterday
follow:
Capt. John Henry Leppert, IS,
whose wife, Mrs. Edith Leppert,
lives at $3.50 Martha Gusts drive,
Alexandria, Va, has been awarded
the Croix> de Guerre with Bronze
Star by the French government !
The citation accompanying the
award said it was presented for |
special services Capt. Leppert rem
dered in setting up a communica-
ton system for the Navy while
commander of the U. S. S. Rich
mond during the Normandy in
vasion.
Capt. Douglas A. Spencer, Chevy
Chase, Md, has received the Legion
of Merit for utilizing his vessel to
tow damaged cruiser off the coast
of Formosa in October, 1914, the
Potomac River Naval Command has
disclosed.
Capt. Spencer participated in the
capture of the Mariannas and Oki-
nawa, raids with the famous Task |
Force No. %, and the two battles
of the Philippine Sea. His wife,
Mrs. Hilda Spencer, lives at Prim-
rose street in Chew Chase