The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1908-09-17
MEDAL FOR SERVICE.
Captain Heating Is First of Com
pany r Boys to Get One.

/
Or of one of the bronze medals struck
in honor Of the Philippine soldiers by
| the general government to be distr'D.
ucd anong these wno assis.e,. in tie
hard service in the Islands.
Captain Heating is the first Oska-
loosa soldier to receive one of the
medals. His number is 967 OF the
many thousands of soldiers who par
ticpated in the volunteer work of the
time. Any honorably discharged sol
der who was in the service in the
Philippines is entitled to one of the
medals upon application to the War
Department. and the usual proofs OF
identity and right to claim the decora-
ton.
The medal is a handsome thing
and work of art. Ii is about the
size of half dollar, is struck from
bronze metal, old Spanish cannon
| taken from the old forts. The face OF
the medal has the images of three sol
diers marching in battle line, two
bearing arms and the central figure
bearing the national colors, upon
which the stars and stripes are clearly
defined The outer edge OF the me-
dial bears the words, Philippine In
surrection," in a circle about the CEN
trail figures and on the bottom is the
date 1899. On the reverse side is the
wreath of honor" and in the center
in straight lines, the words For Pa
triotism, Fortitude and Loyalty
The medal is pendant from an emble-
matte ribbon of national colors, blue
satin body with border colors of red
on white. 49,.
The decoration is indeed handsome
and one of which every soldier of the
Philippines will be justly proud. All
of the members of the Company r,
51st Iowa, who went from tins city,
are entitled to one of the medals up
on proper application to the war ue-
partment at Washington.
The medal was authorized by a
special act OF congress, approved
June 29, 1906, to be presented to
those men of the volunteers and GER
tain of the regular troops of the army
of the Philippines who were enrolled
and enlisted for the war with Spain
and who served beyond the term of
their enlistments to help suppress the
Philippine Insurrection.,
In a cablegram dated July l, 1899,
to General Otis at Manila the presi-
dent of the United States conveyed
the following expressions of apprecia-
ton for the military service thus rem
dered:
THE President desires to express,
in the most public manner, his appre-
citation of the lofty patriotism shown
by the volunteers and the regulars
OF the Eighth Army Corps, in per-
forming Wiling service through severe
campaigns and battles against the in
surgents in LuZon, when under the
terms of their enlistments they would
have been entitled to discharge upon
the ratification of the Treaty with
Spain This action on their part was
noble and heroic. 1t will stand forth
as an example of the self-sacritice
and public consecra.Ion which have
ever characterized the American
soldier"
''In recognition thereof | shall re-
commend to congress InaI special
medal of honor be given to the Off
GERS and soldiers of the Eighth Army
Corps, who performed this great duty
voluntarily and enthusiastically for
their country. "-William Mckinley.
The medals are closely safeguarded
by the department and are issued
only to those who have unquestioned
right TO the decoration. They are
sent through the mail registered and
each metal bears a separate number
in order that a careful record of the
distribution may be preserved. The
Oskaloosa boys who are entitled to
the trophy will no doubt make imme-
diate application to the war depart
ment The medals have only recently
been completed and the information
concerning the Distribution has not yet
been much circulated. .... ..