Lewis William Zwarka

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Lewis William Zwarka (253626), Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with an Anti-Tank Company, Second Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Provisional Marine Brigade (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of Yongsan, Korea, on 3 September 1950. On that date Sergeant Zwarka was serving with a 75-millimeter recoilless rifle platoon attached to the Second Battalion. At approximately 1300 hours on that date, while the platoon was advancing along the road near Yongsan, an enemy battery of antitank guns, mortars, and machine-guns were observed firing on friendly tanks. The first section of the rifle platoon was placed in action against this concentration, and intense counter-battery fire from the enemy ensued. When several casualties were inflicted, disabling one of the recoilless rifles, Sergeant Zwarka, unhesitatingly and fearlessly made repeated trips through unremitting enemy fire to assist in evacuating the wounded. Then seeing another 75-mm. rifle lying idle as a result of casualties among the crew, and realizing the importance of the weapon to his fellow marines, Sergeant Zwarka, with utter disregard for his life, made his way through concentrated enemy fire to recover the rifle. With the assistance of the remainder of the gun crew, he moved it to an alternate position covering a road approach, and in so doing received grave wounds which later cost him his life. His prompt action enabled establishment of a defensive emplacement from which effective fire could be delivered on the enemy.
General Headquarters Far East Command: General Orders No. 76 (November 30, 1950)