Walter James Sabalauski

Walter James Sabalauski (; March 31, 1910 – August 9, 1993) was a United States Army command sergeant major and boxer.

Early life He was born as Vladislovas Sabaliauskas in Tytuvėnai on March 31, 1910. Around 1911–1912, his father emigrated to the United States, while his mother joined him about one year later, and they returned to Lithuania in 1913. In 1921, she and her two sons, an 11-year-old Vladislovas and a 6-year-old Stanislovas emigrated to the United States and settled in Chicago. For his extraordinary heroism in destroying the enemy and in evacuating the casualties, he received both the Distinguished Service Cross and the Silver Star.

After his second tour in Vietnam, he returned to the United States to serve as Command Sergeant Major of the United States Corps of Cadets at West Point. In 1968, he again returned to Vietnam and the 2nd Battalion 502nd Infantry Regiment. His final assignment was as Command Sergeant Major of the 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg from November 1970 until his retirement from the Army on April 1, 1972.

Command Sergeant Major Sabalauski's awards include the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, 8 Bronze Stars, 3 Air Medals, 6 Army Commendation Medals, 4 Purple Hearts, 3 Awards of the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Master Parachutist Badge along with campaign medals for service in World War II, Korea, Dominican Republic, and Vietnam.

Command Sergeant Major Sabalauski died in 1993 and was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery.

The Sabalauski Air Assault School located in Fort Campbell, Kentucky was renamed in his honor in 1994.

Awards and decorations

Combat Infantryman Badge(3rd Award)Distinguished Service CrossSilver StarLegion of MeritBronze Starw/ Valor device and 1 silver and 2 bronze oak leaf clustersPurple Heartw/ 3 bronze oak leaf clustersAir Medalw/ Award numeral 3Army Commendation Medalw/ Valor device and silver oak leaf clusterArmy Good Conduct Medalw/ 4 silver Good conduct loopsAmerican Defense Service MedalAmerican Campaign MedalAsiatic-Pacific Campaign Medalw/ Arrowhead device, 2 silver and 2 bronze campaign starsWorld War II Victory MedalNational Defense Service Medalw/ 1 bronze service starKorean Service Medalw/ 3 bronze campaign starsArmed Forces Expeditionary Medalw/ 1 bronze service starVietnam Service Medalw/ 1 silver and 2 bronze campaign starsKorean Defense Service MedalPhilippine Liberation Medalw/ 2 bronze service starsUnited Nations Korea MedalVietnam Campaign MedalRepublic of Korea War Service Medal

Army Presidential Unit Citationw/ 2 bronze oak leaf clustersArmy Meritorious Unit CommendationPhilippine Republic Presidential Unit CitationRepublic of Korea Presidential Unit CitationRepublic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit CitationRepublic of Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation

Senior Parachutist Badge 10 Service Stripes, indicating 30–32 years of service.