▁men ▁from ▁d row ning . ▁The ▁Chicago ▁Trib une ▁notes ▁he ▁was ▁" one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁Americans ▁to ▁go ▁ash ore ▁in ▁France — per haps , ▁the ▁first — on ▁D - Day ." ▁ ▁For ▁his ▁exception ally ▁mer itor ious ▁performance ▁of ▁duty , ▁and ▁his ▁" co ol ▁judgment ▁and ▁unusual ▁ability ", ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁a ▁Bron ze ▁Star . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁command ing ▁officer ▁of ▁U . S . ▁Naval ▁Unit ▁Six , ▁from ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁to ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁in ▁secret ▁gu err illa ▁action ▁against ▁the ▁Japanese ▁behind ▁enemy ▁lines ▁in ▁F uk ien ▁Province , ▁China . ▁ ▁During ▁that ▁time , ▁his ▁team ▁of ▁Americans ▁trained ▁ 2 , 5 0 0 ▁Chinese ▁gu err illas ▁to ▁fight ▁the ▁Japanese , ▁planned ▁and ▁executed ▁operations ▁resulting ▁in ▁the ▁killing ▁of ▁ 1 , 3 0 0 ▁enemy ▁troops ▁and ▁the ▁destruction ▁of ▁tons ▁of ▁their ▁sh ipping , ▁and ▁he ▁assist ed ▁in ▁the ▁rescue ▁of ▁ 1 6 ▁U . S . ▁f liers . ▁ ▁While ▁out - number ed ▁and ▁facing ▁an ▁enemy ▁with ▁superior ▁equipment , ▁he ▁attacked ▁the ▁enemy ▁with ▁amb ush es ▁and ▁in ▁pitch ed ▁batt les , ▁significantly ▁de ple ting ▁their ▁forces . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁located ▁in ▁Ch ong q ing , ▁Kun ming , ▁Camp ▁ 6 , ▁H ua ' an , ▁Z hang z hou , ▁Gul ang y