S ▁OP ER AT OR ▁( C SO ) ▁OF ▁THE ▁Y EAR ▁A W ARD ▁presented ▁at ▁the ▁Marine ▁Corps ▁Association ▁and ▁Foundation ▁Gr ound ▁Awards ▁D inner ▁on ▁May ▁ 5 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁has ▁been ▁renamed ▁in ▁his ▁honor ▁( and ▁with ▁the ▁full ▁permission ▁of ▁the ▁family ) ▁to ▁the ▁Serge ant ▁C ly de ▁A . ▁Thom ason ▁Marine ▁Special ▁Oper ator ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁Special ▁Oper ations ▁Command ▁Award ▁ ▁Medal ▁of ▁Honor ▁c itation ▁The ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁takes ▁pride ▁in ▁present ing ▁the ▁M ED AL ▁OF ▁H ON OR ▁post hum ously ▁to ▁SER GE ANT ▁C LY DE ▁TH O MA SON ▁UN IT ED ▁ST AT ES ▁MAR INE ▁C OR PS ▁R ES ER VE ▁for ▁service ▁as ▁set ▁forth ▁in ▁the ▁following ▁C IT ATION : ▁For ▁consp ic uous ▁gall antry ▁and ▁int rep id ity ▁at ▁the ▁risk ▁of ▁his ▁life ▁above ▁and ▁beyond ▁the ▁call ▁of ▁duty ▁while ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁Marine ▁Ra ider ▁Battalion ▁in ▁action ▁against ▁the ▁Japanese - h eld ▁island ▁of ▁Mak in ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 7 – 1 8 , ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁Land ing ▁the ▁advance ▁element ▁of ▁the ▁assault ▁e ch el on , ▁Serge ant ▁Thom ason ▁dis posed ▁his ▁men ▁with ▁keen ▁judgment ▁and ▁disc rim ination ▁and ▁by ▁his ▁exempl ary ▁leadership ▁and ▁great ▁personal ▁valor , ▁ex h orted ▁them ▁to ▁like ▁fear less ▁efforts