▁Mar ines . ▁On ▁August ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁as ▁the ▁leader ▁of ▁a ▁machine ▁gun ▁pl ato on , ▁he ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁landing ▁and ▁action ▁at ▁Gu adal can al . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁he ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁Melbourne , ▁Australia , ▁with ▁his ▁unit . ▁Later , ▁he ▁again ▁went ▁into ▁combat , ▁as ▁a ▁company ▁commander ▁with ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Marine ▁Regiment , ▁in ▁the ▁Cape ▁Gl ouc ester , ▁New ▁Britain ▁campaign , ▁from ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁to ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁In ▁the ▁mo pping - up ▁operations ▁which ▁followed , ▁he ▁led ▁a ▁ 1 4 - man ▁pat rol ▁that ▁in ▁one ▁day ▁killed ▁ 2 0 ▁and ▁captured ▁seven ▁enemy ▁soldiers ▁during ▁a ▁ ▁tre k ▁over ▁j ung le ▁tra ils . ▁ ▁From ▁September ▁ 1 2 ▁to ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁he ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁action ▁in ▁the ▁Pe le li u ▁campaign ▁during ▁which ▁he ▁acted ▁with ▁" con sp ic uous ▁gall antry ▁and ▁int rep id ity ▁at ▁the ▁risk ▁of ▁his ▁life ▁above ▁and ▁beyond ▁the ▁call ▁of ▁duty ", ▁and ▁for ▁which ▁he ▁would ▁later ▁be ▁awarded ▁the ▁Medal ▁of ▁Honor ▁and ▁the ▁Pur ple ▁Heart . ▁W ounded ▁in ▁action ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 0 , ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁duty ▁the ▁next ▁day , ▁and ▁remained ▁over se as ▁until ▁November ▁