The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1919-02-06
81 HEROES GIVEN
HIGHEST HONORS
Two Officers and 20 Enlisted Men
Win Congressional Dec.
grafton.
only Three OTHERS GRANTED
All Awards Were Upon Recommends
tion by PershIng-MedaI Carries
Gratuities and Other
Privileges.

Washington, Feb, Onward Of con
gressional medals Of honor, the high
est American military decoration, tc
two officers and 30 enlisted men OF
the army in France was announced
by the war department.
Only three Of the medals had been
awarded previously for seryice~in the
great war;
All Of the awards were upon recon-
mendation by General Pershing. BY
act Of congress the medal can be Civ
en- only for Conspicuous gallantry and
intrepldity above and beyond the call
of duty in action"
Many distinguished service crosses
for gallantry In action and distinguish
ed service medals, given for conspicu'
Gus service of any character in con.
nection with the army, have been
awarded heretofore, but the wearers
Of the medal Of honor constitute a
special roll Of honor, 1t carries with II
gratuitios and certain privileges,
way sc Awarded IN rlSius
The cross and distinguished service
medal can be awarded by any indie
pendent commander in the field. The
medal Of honor is given by the secre-
tary Of war on the recommendation of
the military commanders, each recon-
mendation being reviewed by board
of officers to make certain that an I'M
usual act of heroism Is commemorated
Some Of the decorations were award
ed posthumously, won by men who lost
their lives in heroic acts, The com
plete list OF the 81 follows:
Capt. Marcellus FL. Chiles (de'
ceased), Denver, 356th infantry, who
led the battalion he commanded for
ward against machine gun cross-flre
.wading waist deep across a stream to
reach the enemy and crawling on his
hands to follow. He died of his
wounds.
Privates Jesse N. Funk, Calhan
Colo, and Charles ID. Farger, Stotts
City, Mo-, Company L, 354th infantry,
for resculng wounded 800 yards in
front of the American line, making
two trips as stretcher bearers under
machine gun fire.
Rescues TWO Under Fire.
Sergt Reidar Walker, no address,
company A, 105th machine gun bat
talon, for rescuing two wounded men
from a burning British tank under ar
tillery and machine gun fire.
Sergts. Alan Louis Eggers, Summit,
IN. j., 107th infantry, and John Grid
land Latham, nearest Of kin residing
at Westmoreland, England, machine
gun company, 10Th infantry, and Cor
poral Thomas e. O'Shea, Summit, N
j., for resculng an officer and two men
from damaged American tank and
by means Of the machine gun from the
tank standing off the enemy all day
from shell hole within the enemy
lines. Corporal O'Shea died Of wounds
Sergt. James I. MestroVitch, Fresno,
CAL, Company G, 111th infantry, for
rescuing his wounded company COM
mander 30 yards in front OF the line.
He has died since.
Killed Four Huns With Pistol.
Private Frank Gaffney, Lockport, N.
Y, Company G, 108th infantry, for go
ing forward alone with an automatic
rifle when all other members of his
squad had been killed, attacking and
capturing an enemy machine gun, kill
ing the crew, bombing several dugouts
and killing four Of the enemy with pis-
toll fire. When re-enforcements came
UP so prisoners were captured.
Sergt. Harold /. Johnson, Denver,
and Private David p. Berkeley, San
Antonio, Tex, Company A, 35eth infan-
fantry, for swimming the river Mouse
to obtain information as 10 the enemy's
position on the opposite side.