Walter James Sabalauski (; March 31, 1910 – August 9, 1993) was a United States Army command sergeant major and boxer. Early life He was born as Vladislovas Sabaliauskas in Tytuvėnai on March 31, 1910. Around 1911–1912, his father emigrated to the United States, while his mother joined him about one year later, and they returned to Lithuania in 1913. In 1921, she and her two sons, an 11-year-old Vladislovas and a 6-year-old Stanislovas emigrated to the United States and settled in Chicago. As a youth, Vladislovas began boxing and one of his idols was fellow Lithuanian Jack Sharkey. From 1929 to 1937, he was a professional boxer and won 31 of 33 bouts. His boxing career ended due to injuries sustained in a road accident. Military service Sabalauski entered the Army in June 1941. During World War II, he served in the Pacific theater, fighting on the beachheads of the Solomon Islands, Guadalcanal, and the Philippines. He later served in the Korean War with the 187th Regimental Combat Team (Airborne) and 25th Infantry Regiment. In 1963, Sabalauski went to Vietnam for the first time, where he served as an advisor to the 32nd Vietnamese Ranger Battalion. After service in the Dominican Republic in 1965, he returned to Vietnam in 1966. It was during this tour that he fought his most memorable battle. Early in June 1966, Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, was conducting a mission to locate elements of the 24th North Vietnamese Regiment. Charlie Company made contact with what was estimated to be a battalion-sized enemy force. Under heavy enemy fire and unable to maneuver, company commander Captain William Carpenter called for air strikes in his position in an attempt to force the enemy to withdraw. The enemy ceased fire long enough to allow Charlie Company to consolidate, reorganize and establish a position from which to defend and begin evacuation of wounded personnel. First Sergeant Sabalauski repeatedly placed himself at risk for the sake of his soldiers during this mission. For his extraordinary heroism in destroying the enemy and in evacuating the casualties, he received both the Distinguished Service Cross and the Silver Star. After his second tour in Vietnam, he returned to the United States to serve as Command Sergeant Major of the United States Corps of Cadets at West Point. In 1968, he again returned to Vietnam and the 2nd Battalion 502nd Infantry Regiment.