Carl W . Weiss Carl Walter Weiss ( March 27 , 1915 - November 2 , 1942 ) was a United States Marine during World War II , who was killed in action during the Battle of Guadalcanal . For his distinguished actions on November 1 – 2 , 1942 , Sergeant Weiss was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross . Biography . Carl Weiss was born in Detroit , Michigan . He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on December 18 , 1939 . After completing basic training at Parris Island , South Carolina , he served successively at Quantico , Virginia ; and at Philadelphia , Pennsylvania ; during the early part of 1940 . On March 1 , 1940 , he reported to Fort Mifflin for duty which lasted for over a year . He returned to the base at Quantico briefly in June 1941 before going to sea in the transport " McCawley " ( AP - 10 ) at the end of the first week in July for a month ' s assignment . Promoted to Corporal while in that transport , Weiss returned ashore at Portsmouth , Virginia , on August 14 , 1941 , and from there , moved on to duty at New River , North Carolina , in September . Weiss was promoted to Sergeant in March 1942 , and by the following summer , had been assigned to the Pacific theater in preparation for the Solomon Islands operation . During that campaign , Sgt . Weiss conducted himself with distinction . While serving with C Company , 1st Battalion , 5th Marines , 1st Marine Division , during a battle on November 1 , 1942 with Japanese forces near Matanikau River , Guadalcanal , he charged an enemy machine gun position and destroyed it with a hand grenade . Returning to his own machine gun , Weiss directed his gunners in repulsing three fanatical bayonet charges . When one of his men received a wound and fell forward of the emplacement , Sgt . Weiss " crawled forward and dragged his comrade to safety " . The next day , he again inched forward over the crest of the hill toward another enemy machine gun . Though the position opened fire on him , he continued forward and lobbed a grenade at the offending weapon . He then attempted to toss another grenade to finish the job begun by the first but was felled , mortally wounded by enemy fire . For " his great personal valor , aggressiveness and fine spirit of self sacrifice , " Sgt . Weiss was posthumous ly awarded the Navy Cross . Navy Cross citation . WEISS , CARL WALTER Sergeant , U . S . Marine Corps Company C , 1st Battalion , 5th Marines , 1st Marine Division Date of Action : November 1 & 2 , 1942 Citation : The Navy Cross is presented to Carl Walter Weiss , Sergeant , U . S . Marine Corps , for extraordinary heroism while serving with Company C , First Battalion , Fifth Marines , First Marine Division , in combat against enemy Japanese forces west of the Matanikau River in the Solomon Islands Area on November 1 and 2 , 1942 . Advancing in the face of persistent enemy machine gun and rifle fire , Sergeant Weiss , with grim determination and dauntless courage , neutralized an enemy machine gun nest with a grenade and returned to set up his own machine gun . As the infuriated Japanese charged up the hill with bayonets , Sergeant Weiss , directing the fire of his gunners , repulsed them three times , but during the last assault , one of his men was wounded and rolled forward of the gun . Under the punishing fire of the enemy , Sergeant Weiss crawled forward and dragged his comrade to safety . On the following day as Sergeant Weiss again inched his way over the nose of the hill to set up his gun , a hostile automatic weapon fired upon him , but he continued on and threw a hand grenade into the enemy position . As he attempted to throw a second grenade , he was hit and killed . His great personal valor , aggressiveness and fine spirit of self - sacrifice were an inspiration to his comrades and contributed in a large measure to the success of this operation . He gallantly gave up his life in the defense of his country . In memory . In 1944 , USS " Weiss " , ( DE - 378 ) , a John C . Butler class destroyer escort , was named in his honor . This ship was cancelled on June 5 , 1944 before completion , and her materials were scrapped . Subsequently , the Crosley - class high speed transport USS " Weiss " ( APD - 135 ) was named in his honor .