Milton H. Searle Accepts Citation

Milton H. Searle, pharmacist's mate first-class and a member of the First Marine Division, recieved a presidential citation for intensive action in the South Pacific Islands from August 7 to December 9, 1942. The citation, personally singned by late Frank Knox, secretary of navy, reads "The officers and enlisted men of the First Marine Division, reinforced on August 7 to December 9, 1942 demonstrated outstanding gallantry and determination in successfully executing forced landing assults against a number of strongly defended Japanese position on Tulagi Gavutu, Tanambogo, Florida, and Guadalcanal and the British Solomon Islands, completely routing all the enemy forces and seizing a most valuable base and airfield within the enemy zone of operations in the South Pacific. During this time period this reinforced division not only held their important strategic positions, dispite determined and repeated Japanese naval, air and land attacks, but by a series of offensive operations against strong enemy resistance, drove the Japanese from the proximity of the airfield and inflicted great losses on them by land and air attacks. The courage and determination in these operations were of an inspiring order. Vernal Express 1944-05-04