Ralph Logan Houser was an officer in the United States Marine Corps

United States Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...

. He was born in Iowa in 1914 and graduated from the University of Iowa

University of Iowa

The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...

 when he was 21. After his graduation he was commissioned as a Marine officer. His pre-war assignments included the command of the Marine detachment on the aircraft carrier USS Lexington

USS Lexington (CV-2)

USS Lexington , nicknamed the "Gray Lady" or "Lady Lex," was an early aircraft carrier of the United States Navy. She was the lead ship of the , though her sister ship was commissioned a month earlier...

as well as a tour at Officer Candidate School

Officer Candidate School

Officer Candidate School or Officer Cadet School are institutions which train civilians and enlisted personnel in order for them to gain a commission as officers in the armed forces of a country....

 in Quantico

Quantico, Virginia

- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there are 561 people, 295 households, and 107 families living in the town. The population density is . There are 359 housing units at an average density of .-Racial composition:...

, VA.

During World War II he was assigned to the 3rd Marine Division and participated in the Battle of Bougainville and the Battle of Guam, where he won the Navy Cross

Navy Cross

The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...

 for successfully leading his battalion through a series of heavily-fortified Japanese positions. Following the war, he trained Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

 units in amphibious

Amphibious warfare

Amphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...

 tactics and served tours in Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

 and China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

. He also served at the Pentagon

The Pentagon

The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...

 for the Navy Inspector General.

Following his retirement from the Marines, he attended George Washington University Law School and practiced in Annandale. He died at his home in Reston, VA on February 1, 2001 of a heart attack and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...

.

Navy Cross citation

The NAVY CROSS is presented to
RALPH L. HOUSER

LIEUTENANT COLONEL, U.S. MARINE CORPS

for extraordinary heroism as Commanding Officer of the Third Battalion, Third Marines, Third Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the assault on enemy-held Guam, Marianas Islands, 21 through July 23, 1944. Realizing the absolute necessity of clearing the high ground in his sector for the protection of the beachhead, and deprived by casualties of sufficient troop leaders for his troop units, Lieutenant Colonel Houser personally led elements of his Battalion in continuous assaults against enemy positions, exposing himself time after time to hostile fire. After successfully leading his Battalion in the seizure of Chonito Cliff and observing that the left flank of his Battalion was being held up by strong Japanese resistance from Adelup Point, he proceeded to his leading elements despite wounds received in the previous action and, organizing a tank-infantry fighting group, led an assault on the hostile strong point. While exposed to enemy rifle, machine-gun, mortar and artillery fire, he maintained an aggressive attack until this strategic point was completely taken by his Battalion. Always cool and resourceful, Lieutenant Colonel Houser brilliantly led his men throughout this period until seriously wounded on July 23, while assaulting a particularly well dug-in and defended strong point holding up the advance. By his forcefulness, leadership and outstanding courage in the face of strong hostile resistance, he served as an example to his officers and men and was primarily responsible for clearing the Japanese forces from his sector. His unswerving devotion to duty throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

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