Evening star., 1945-09-02
Gen. Watson Awarded
Second DSM; Others
Receive Decorations

Maj. Gen. Thomas M. Watson,
U. s M. c., Of Washington, was
awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a
second Distinguished Service Medal
for exceptionally meritorious serv-
Ice during the invasion of Saipan,
in a ceremony at Marine Corps
headquarters here Friday.
Gen. Watson, now director of per-
sonnel at Marine Corps headquar-
ters, was cited for his aggressive
determination and brilliant tactical
ability" in leading the I'd Division
through action in the Marianas.
The first Distinguished Service
Medal was awarded Gen. Watson
tor his work in the assault on
Eniwetok atoll In the Marshalls.
His home here is at 1905 Tilden
street NV.
1t. Col. Justice M. Chambers, U.
s. M. c., $50 Quebec street NV,
in the same ceremony received the
Navy Cross for extraordinary hero
ism on Two Jina, where he dis
ployed peerless leadership, out
standing bravery, daring action and
selfless devotion to duty" as COM
manding officer Of an infantry as
sault battalion. Col. Chambers now
Is stationed at the Command and
Staff School, Quantico, Va.
Brig. Gen. Edward H. Lastayo
chief of the Highway Division, OF.
flee of the Chief of Transportation
Army Service Forces, yesterday was
awarded the Distinguished Service
Medal for outstanding service in the
Mediterranean theater from Octo.
ber, 1943, to June, 1945, as trans
portation officer, Peninsular BASE
Section, and subsequently chief ot
transportation for the entire the
ater of operations.
1t. Col. A. A. Vandegrift, jr., U. S
M. c., son of the Marine Corps
commandant, has been decorated
with the Silver Star Medal for out
standing gallantry on Two Jima
when he disregarded his own safety
to exhort the men of his infantry
battalion during battle.
Col. Vandegrift, now stationed at
the Command and Staff School
Quantico, Va, was wounded on 1--we
Jima and in the Marianas action
I'd 1t. Yutaka X. Yoshida, whose
wife, Mrs. Ruth Yoshida, is en-
ployed in the Bureau of Plant In
dustry, Beltsville, Md, recently was
awarded the Silver Star Medal fol
gallantry in action during the Ital-
ian campaign, 5th Army dispatch
said.
1t. Yoshida, then a staff sergeant
and leader of a machine gun Sec
tic1, crawled to the crest of a hill
under enemy observation in order
to spot the location of enemy weap.
ons. He was wounded but refused
medical attention until the remain.
ing German targets were destroyed
1t. Darwin Caudill, Army Medica
Administrative Corps, was awarded
the Silver Star Medal posthumously
in a ceremony at the Pentagor
yesterday. His widow, Mrs. RUBY
c. Caudill, Seaman &c, WAVES, &C
cepted the medal, awarded for gal
lantry in action in Germany las
December 3.
About to enter the building il
which a collecting station was 10
Gated, the citation said, 1t. Caudil
was wounded in the neck when tn
area was subjected to q suddel
enemy strafing attack. Although
seriously wounded, he ran through
the building to warn the men o
the enemy danger, ordering them t
take cover. He collapsed while at
tempting to alert the men on tn
second floor of the building.
Mrs. Caudill lives at WAVE Bar
racks D, 1929, Massachusetts, ant
Nebraska avenues NV.
1t. Col. Raymond Fowler Crist
USMC, son of Mrs. R. F. Crist, 302
Newark street NV, was decorate,
with the Legion of Merit in recen
field ceremonies at Camp Lejeune
N. c., where he now is stationed
The award was given Col. Crist TO
exceptionally meritorious conduc
while commanding an artillery regi
ment of the Sd Marine Division OF
Tuo lima