USS Walton

Merrit Cecil Walton, born at St. Paul, Minn., on 18 December 1915, enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on 19 May 1937 at San Francisco, Calif., and initially served at San Diego, Calif., before going to the Asiatic Station that autumn. As a member of the 4th Marine Regiment, quartered in the International Settlement of Shanghai, China, Walton witnessed part of the bloody battle that raged for that key city between Chinese and Japanese forces and, as such, was an early observer of Japanese aggression in the Far East. During his tour in China, he received promotion to private, 1st class, on 10 May 1939.

Returning to the United States in the autumn of 1940, Walton served successive tours of duty at the Marine barracks at Mare Island, Vallejo, Calif.; the Naval Air Station, Lakehurst, N.J.; Quantico, Va.; and New River, N.C. He was promoted to sergeant on 1 August 1941 and platoon sergeant on 8 April 1942.

Platoon Sergeant Walton was serving in a parachute battalion as part of the 1st Marine Division (Reinforced) that was selected to land in the Solomons in August 1942. Companies A and B of that battalion landed on the island of Gavutu on the morning of 7 August 1942. The enemy, already alerted by the landings on Guadalcanal and Tulagi, met the Marines' frontal assault with a withering fire.

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From the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, compiled by the Naval History and Heritage Command (Walton (DE-361)). A work of the United States Government, in the public domain.