Evening star., 1927-11-27
TWO HOLDERS OF HIGHEST ARMY DECORATIONS
LIVE IN CAPITAL BUT ARE NOT ACQUAINTED
Gel. Donovan and Col. Kill
bourne Belong to Trio
Honored For Bravery.
JOHNSTON THIRDHERO
All H oil d Congressional
Medal, Distinguished
Service Cross and
Service Medal.

I Two of the three mon entitled TO
wear the highest decorations of the
American Army are living in Wash.
/ inGton, and they don't know each
other. one, back in civilian life, is
assistant To the Attorney General. Will
liam Joseph Donovan, while the other
is still in the service in which he won
rcncwn. lie is Col Charles Il. Xii
bourne. in the office Of the chief of
Coast Artillery in the Munitions Build.
ing, The third member of this his
toriC trio is Lieut.. Col. Gordon John
ston. who is now stationed at Fort
Riley, Eans. These three men are the
only ones in all American history who
have won the Congressional Medal of
Honor. the Distinguished Service Cross
and the Distinguished Service Medal.
Mr.. Donovan is the only man who
emerged from the World War with the
three decorations. his colleagues in
this honor having won the Congress.
sional Medal of Honor while on duty
in the Philippines years ago.
Col Donovan's Citation.
The right hand man of Attorney
General Sargent won the congressional
Medal of Honor October 14.l5. 1918.
near Iandres -et-St. Georges. France,
when lieutenant colonel of the l63th
Infantry, 42nd Division. His citation
reads: Col. Donovan personally led
the aSSauiting wave in an attack upon
n very strongly organized position,
and when our troops were suffering
heavy casualties he encouraged all
near him by his example, moving
among his men in exposed positions,
rcorganiZinC decimated pIatoons and
accompanying them forward in at
tacks. When he was wounded in the
leg by n machinc-G gun bullet he refused
to pe evacuated and continued with
his unit until it withdrew 10 less eX
posed position"
Mr.. Donovan was born January |,
1883. at Buffalo. y. y. He was edu
cate,i at Niagara University and Co
lumbia and began to practice law in
his home town in 1907. He served
as captain of Troop l. 1st Cavalry,
New York National Guard; as assist
ant chief of staff. 21th Division, A. +.
F.: rs ma jor and brigade adjutant of
of the 3lSt Brigade and as lieutenant
colonel and colonel of the 165th lnfan-
try. the old Fighting 69th' of New
York. He was wounded three times.
He was Republican candidate for
lieutenant governor of New York in
1922 and United States district at
York by appointment of President
Harding in February, 1922. He was
appointed Assistant Attorney General,
August Il. 1924, and Assistant to the
Attorney General, March IS, 1925. Mr..
Donovan is a member of the Metro
politan, Burning Tree, Racquet and
National Press Clubs, and lives at
1647 Thirtieth street.
Col Kilbourne was born at Fort
Whipple. Va, December %. 1879. and
graduated from Virginia Military In
stitute in 1894, and was an honor
graduate of the Artillery School in
1909. He served in the Spanish Ameri-
can War. in the campaign ending in
the capture of Manila and through
the Philippine Insurrection. He was
in the Boxer Rebellion and the relief
of the legation in Peking. He was on
duty with the general staff 191l13.
and again in 1853 and during the
World War served on the British
and French fronts, In France with
the American colors. he was with the
S9th Division and was in command
of the 36th Heavy Artillery Brigade.
and the 3rd Infantry Brigade during
the remainder of his service in France
and Germany.
Col. Kilbourne obtained the Dis
tinguished Service Medal, ''for services
in the S9th Division and 36th Artil-
lery Brigade" and the Distinguished
Service Cross "for extraordinary hero
ism in action" near Thiacourt, France,
September -. 1918.
Repaired Wire Under Fire.
His citation for the Congressional
Medal of Honor which was awarded
him for deed nerformed as first
lieutenant in the Signal Corps, reads:
within range of $50 yards of the
enemy and in the face of a rapid
fire. climbed telegraph pole at the
east end of the bridge and in full
view of the enemy coolly and carefully
repaired n broken telegraph wire.
thereby re-establishing telegra phic
communication to the front" This
was done February 5. 1899. at Paco
Bridge, Philippine Islands, and the
award was made May 6, 1905.