Marvin Lewis

The Navy Cross is presented to Marvin Lewis, Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism and fearless devotion to duty on the occasion of the explosions from lightning at the Naval Ammunition Depot, Lake Denmark, N.J., on 10 July 1926. Corporal Lewis and five other Marines at 7:30 p.m., July 10, 1926, arrived at the Picatinny Arsenal but were unable to escape from the vicinity of the exploding magazines because of the fact that the only boat in sight was on the opposite side of the lake. Four of the men could not swim, therefore, Corporal Lewis although seriously injured about the neck and head swam the lake with Private John A. Pratt and then rowed back across the lake and assisted the remaining four men to escape with their lives.
Authority – USMC Communiqué: 190525 (18 November 1926)