302 Awards Compiled & Edited By C. Douglas Sterner

Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps

Marine Expeditionary Force (Dominican Republic)

Date of Action: July 03, 1916

Citation:

The Medal of Honor is presented to Joseph Anthony Glowin, Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the Marine Expeditionary Force (Dominican Republic) in action during an engagement at Guayacanas on 3 July 1916. Corporal Glowin participated in action against a considerable force of rebels on the line of march.

• 
  General Orders 244, November 2, 1916
  

Home Town: Detroit, Michigan

First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps

Marine Expeditionary Force (Dominican Republic)

Date of Action: November 29, 1916

Citation:

The Medal of Honor is presented to Ernest Calvin Williams, First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the Marine Expeditionary Force (Dominican Republic) in action against hostile forces at San Francisco de Macoris, Dominican Republic, 29 November 1916. With only a dozen men available, First Lieutenant Williams rushed the gate of the fortress. With eight of his party wounded by rifle fire of the defenders, he pressed on with the four remaining men, threw himself against the door just as it was being closed by the Dominicans and forced an entry. Despite a narrow escape from death at the hands of a rifleman, he and his men disposed of the guards and within a few minutes had gained control of the fort and the hundred prisoners confined there.

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  General Orders 289, April 27, 1917
  

Home Town: Broadwell, Illinois

Winans, Roswell

First Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps

Marine Expeditionary Force (Dominican Republic)

Date of Action: July 03, 1916

Citation:

The Medal of Honor is presented to Roswell Winans, First Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the Marine Expeditionary Force (Dominican Republic) in action during an engagement at Guayacanas on 3 July 1916. First Sergeant Winans participated in action against a considerable force of rebels on the line of march. During a running fight of 1,200 yards, our forces reached the enemy entrenchments and Corporal Joseph A. Glowin, U.S.M.C., placed the machinegun, of which he had charge, behind a large log across the road and immediately opened fire on the trenches. He was struck once but continued firing his gun, but a moment later he was again struck and had to be dragged out of the position into cover. First Sergeant Winans, U.S.M.C., then arrived with a Colt's gun which he placed in a most exposed position, coolly opened fire on the trenches and when the gun jammed, stood up and repaired it under fire. All the time Glowin and Winans were handling their guns they were exposed to a very heavy fire which was striking into the logs and around the men, seven men being wounded and one killed within 20 feet. First Sergeant Winans continued firing his gun until the enemy had abandoned the trenches.

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  General Orders 244, November 2, 1916
  

Home Town: Washington

Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps

66th Rifle Company, 5th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F.

Date of Action: July 18, 1918

ARMY MEDAL OF HONOR

Citation:

The Medal of Honor is presented to Louis Cukela, Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the 66th Company, 5th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F., at Villers-Cotterets, France, 18 July 1918. When his company, advancing through a wood, met with strong resistance from an enemy strong point, Sergeant Cukela crawled out from the flank and made his way toward the German lines in the face of heavy fire, disregarding the warnings of his comrades. He succeeded in getting behind the enemy position and rushed a machinegun emplacement, killing or driving off the crew with his bayonet. With German hand grenades he then bombed out the remaining portion of the strong point, capturing four men and two damaged machine guns.

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  General Orders 34, W.D., March 17, 1919
  

The Medal of Honor is presented to Louis Cukela, Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the 66th Company, 5th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F., during action in Forest de Retz, near Viller-Cotterets, France, 18 July 1918. Sergeant Cukela advanced alone against an enemy strong point that was holding up his line. Disregarding the warnings of his comrades, he crawled out from the flank in the face of heavy fire and worked his way to the rear of the enemy position. Rushing a machine-gun emplacement, he killed or drove off the crew with his bayonet, bombed out the remaining part of the strong point with German hand grenades, and captured two machine guns and four men.

Born: 5/1/1888 at Spalato, Yugoslavia

Home Town: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Sergeant Cukela served a two-year "hitch" in the army from 1914 - 1916, then joined the Marine Corps when his army enlistment was fulfilled. He retired as a Major in 1940, but returned to service when war broke out and served until 1946.

Hoffman, Charles F.

Gunnery Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps

49th Company, 5th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F.

Date of Action: June 06, 1918

ARMY MEDAL OF HONOR

Citation:

The Medal of Honor is presented to Charles F. Hoffman, Gunnery Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the 49th Company, 5th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in action at Chateau-Thierry, France, 6 June 1918. Immediately after the company to which he belonged had reached its objective on Hill 142, several hostile counterattacks were launched against the line before the new position had been consolidated. Gunnery Sergeant Hoffman was attempting to organize a position on the north slope of the hill when he saw 12 of the enemy, armed with five light machineguns, crawling toward his group. Giving the alarm, he rushed the hostile detachment, bayoneted the two leaders, and forced the others to flee, abandoning their guns. His quick action, initiative, and courage drove the enemy from a position from which they could have swept the hill with machinegun fire and forced the withdrawal of our troops.

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  General Orders 34, W.D., March 07, 1919
  

Citation:

The Medal of Honor is presented to Charles F. Hoffman, Gunnery Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the 49th Company, 5th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in action at Chateau-Thierry, France, 6 June 1918. Immediately after the company to which Gunnery Sergeant Janson belonged, had reached its objective on Hill 142, several hostile counterattacks were launched against the line before the new position had been consolidated. Gunnery Sergeant Janson was attempting to organize a position on the north slope of the hill when he saw 12 of the enemy, armed with five light machineguns, crawling toward his group. Giving the alarm, he rushed the hostile detachment, bayoneted the two leaders, and forced the others to flee, abandoning their guns. His quick action, initiative and courage drove the enemy from a position from which they could have swept the hill with machinegun fire and forced the withdrawal of our troops.

Born: 8/17/1878 at New York, New York

Home Town: Brooklyn, New York

Gunnery Sergeant Hoffman was initially awarded the Army Medal of Honor for this act, and subsequently was awarded the Navy Medal of Honor for the same act. He is one of five Marines to receive BOTH in World War I. His name was legally chaned from Ernest August Janson.

Kelly, John Joseph

Private, U.S. Marine Corps

78th Company, 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F.

Date of Action: October 03, 1918

ARMY MEDAL OF HONOR

Citation:

The Medal of Honor is presented to John Joseph Kelly, Private, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the 78th Company, 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in action at Blanc Mont Ridge, France, 3 October 1918. Private Kelly ran through our own barrage 100 yards in advance of the front line and attacked an enemy machinegun nest, killing the gunner with a grenade, shooting another member of the crew with his pistol, and returning through the barrage with eight prisoners.

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  General Orders 16, W.D., January 22, 1919
  

Citation:

The Medal of Honor is presented to John Joseph Kelly, Private, U.S. Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 78th Company, 6th Regiment, 2d Division, A.E.F., in action with the enemy at Blanc Mont Ridge, France, 3 October 1918. Private Kelly ran through our own barrage a hundred yards in advance of the front line and attacked an enemy machinegun nest, killing the gunner with a grenade, shooting another member of the crew with his pistol, and returning through the barrage with eight prisoners.

Born: 6/24/1898 at Chicago, Illinois

Home Town: Chicago, Illinois

Private Kelly was initially awarded the Army Medal of Honor for this act, and subsequently was awarded the Navy Medal of Honor for the same act. He is one of five Marines to receive BOTH in World War I.

*Kocak, Matej

Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps

66th Company, 5th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F.

Date of Action: July 18, 1918

ARMY MEDAL OF HONOR

Citation:

The Medal of Honor is presented to Matej Kocak, Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the 66th Company, 5th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in action at Soissons, France, 18 July 1918. When the advance of his battalion was checked by a hidden machine-gun nest, he went forward alone, unprotected by covering fire from his own men, and worked in between the German positions in the face of fire from enemy covering detachments. Locating the machine -gun nest, he rushed it and with his bayonet drove off the crew. Shortly after this he organized twenty-five French colonial soldiers who had become separated from their company and led them in attacking another machine-gun nest, which was also put out of action.

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  General Orders 34, W.D., March 07, 1919
  

Citation:

The Medal of Honor is presented to Matej Kocak, Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the 66th Company, 5th Regiment, 2d Division, in action in the Viller-Cottertes section, south of Soissons, France, 18 July 1918. When a hidden machinegun nest halted the advance of his battalion, Sergeant Kocak went forward alone unprotected by covering fire and worked his way in between the German positions in the face of heavy enemy fire. Rushing the enemy position with his bayonet, he drove off the crew. Later the same day, Sergeant Kocak organized French colonial soldiers who had become separated from their company and led them in an attack on another machinegun nest which was also put out of action.

Born: 12/31/1882 at Egbell, Austria

Home Town: New York, New York

Sergeant Kocak was initially awarded the Army Medal of Honor for this act, and subsequently was awarded the Navy Medal of Honor for the same act. He is one of five Marines to receive BOTH in World War I.

*Pruitt, John Henry

Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps

78th Company, 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F.

Date of Action: October 03, 1918

ARMY MEDAL OF HONOR

Citation:

The Medal of Honor is presented to John Henry Pruitt, Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the 78th Company, 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in action at Blanc Mont Ridge, France, 3 October 1918. Corporal Pruitt single-handed attacked two machineguns, capturing them and killing two of the enemy. He then captured forty prisoners in a dugout nearby. This gallant soldier was killed soon afterward by shellfire while he was sniping at the enemy.

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  General Orders 62, W.D., May 10, 1919
  

Citation:

The Medal of Honor is presented to John Henry Pruitt, Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 78th Company, 6th Regiment, 2d Division, A.E.F., in action with the enemy at Blanc Mont Ridge, France, 3 October 1918. Corporal Pruitt, single-handed attacked two machineguns, capturing them and killing two of the enemy. He then captured forty prisoners in a dugout nearby. This gallant soldier was killed soon afterward by shellfire while he was sniping the enemy.

Born: 10/4/1896 at Fayetteville, Arkansas

Home Town: Phoenix, Arizona

Other Award: Army Medal of Honor (Same Action)

Corporal Pruitt was initially awarded the Army Medal of Honor for this act, and subsequently was awarded the Navy Medal of Honor for the same act. He is one of five Marines to receive BOTH in World War I.

Gunnery Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps

Gunner, First Marine Aviation Force, Northern Bomb Group (USN)

Date of Action: October 8 & 14, 1918

Citation:

The Medal of Honor is presented to Robert Guy Robinson, Gunnery Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism as observer in the 1st Marine Aviation Force at the front in France. In company with planes from Squadron 218, Royal Air Force, conducting an air raid on 8 October 1918, Gunnery Sergeant Robinson's plane was attacked by nine enemy scouts. In the fight which followed, he shot down one of the enemy planes. In a later air raid over Pittham, Belgium, on 14 October 1918, his plane and one other became separated from their formation on account of motor trouble and were attacked by twelve enemy scouts. Acting with conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in the fight which ensued, Gunnery Sergeant Robinson, after shooting down one of the enemy planes, was struck by a bullet which carried away most of his elbow. At the same time his gun jammed. While his pilot maneuvered for position, he cleared the jam with one hand and returned to the fight. Although his left arm was useless, he fought off the enemy scouts until he collapsed after receiving two more bullet wounds, one in the stomach and one in the thigh.

Born: 4/30/1896 at New York, New York

Home Town: Chicago, Illinois

Gunnery Sergeant Robinson and his pilot, Second Lieutenant Ralph Talbot, were both awarded Medals of Honor for this action.
*Stockham, Fred William

Gunnery Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps

96th Company, 2d Bn., 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F.

Date of Action: June 13 & 14, 1918

Citation:

The Medal of Honor is presented to Fred William Stockham, Gunnery Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the 96th Company, Second Battalion, 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in action at Bois-de-Belleau, France, 13-14 June 1918. During an intense enemy bombardment with high explosive and gas shells which wounded or killed many members of the company, Gunnery Sergeant Stockham, upon noticing that the gas mask of a wounded comrade was shot away, without hesitation, removed his own gas mask and insisted upon giving it to the wounded man, well knowing that the effects of the gas would be fatal to himself. He continued with undaunted courage and valor to direct and assist in the evacuation of the wounded, until he himself collapsed from the effects of gas, dying as a result thereof a few days later. His courageous conduct undoubtedly saved the lives of many of his wounded comrades and his conspicuous gallantry and spirit of self-sacrifice were a source of great inspiration to all who served with him.

Born: 3/16/1881 at Detroit, Michigan

Home Town: New York, New York

Fred Stockham's posthumous Medal of Honor was presented to American Legion Post named for him in St. Louis, Missouri.

*Talbot, Ralph

Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps

Squadron C, First Marine Avn. Force, Northern Bomb Group (USN)

Date of Action: October 8 & 14, 1918

Citation:

The Medal of Honor is presented to Ralph Talbot, Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps, for exceptionally meritorious service and extraordinary heroism while attached to Squadron C, First Marine Aviation Force, in France. Second Lieutenant Talbot participated in numerous air raids into enemy territory. On 8 October 1918, while on such a raid, he was attacked by nine enemy scouts, and in the fight that followed shot down an enemy plane. Also, on 14 October 1918, while on a raid over Pittham, Belgium, Second Lieutenant Talbot and another plane became detached from the formation on account of motor trouble and were attacked by 12 enemy scouts. During the severe fight that followed, his plane shot down one of the enemy scouts. His observer was shot through the elbow and his gun jammed. Second Lieutenant Talbot maneuvered to gain time for his observer to clear the jam with one hand, and then returned to the fight. The observer fought until shot twice, once in the stomach and once in the hip and then collapsed, Second Lieutenant Talbot attacked the nearest enemy scout with his front guns and shot him down. With his observer unconscious and his motor failing, he dived to escape the balance of the enemy and crossed the German trenches at an altitude of 50 feet, landing at the nearest hospital to leave his observer, and then returning to his aerodrome.

Born: 1/6/1897 at South Weymouth, Massachusetts

Home Town: Connecticut

Second Lieutenant Talbot and his gunner, Gunnery Sergeant Robert Robinson, were both awarded Medals of Honor for this action.