Evening star., 1945-04-11
Col. James Duke, Jr.,
Wins Legion Of Merit;
-Four Get Silver Stars

Col. James T.. Duke, Jr., Chlef OF
staff of the United States Troop
Carrier Forces. whose parents live
at the Wardman Park Hotel, was
awarded the Legion of Merit for
exceptionally meritorious conduct
in the performance of outstanding
services from December IL, 1943. to
November 80, 1914" the 1st Allied
Air-Borne Army announced today.
The award was presented at head
quarters of the Troop Carrier Forces
in Europe by Maj. Gen. Paul L..
Williams.
The citation stated Col. Duke CO.
ordinated "all operational and ad-
miniStrative activities of the COM
mand, played major role in the
setting up and training of three
tactical wings and overcame
many administrative and opera
tional obstacles for which there was
no precedent"
Col. Dukes wife and family live
at Birmingham, Ala.
Capt. Raymond A. Diggs, son of
Mrs. Mary F. Diggs, 1851 Otis street
NE, was awarded the Silver Star
for gallantry in action on the 5th
Army front in Northern Italy. A
member of the 92d Buffalo In
fantry Division, Capt Diggs as
Sumed command during major at
tack when all his superior officers
were killed and, under pressure of
vigorous enemy counterattacks, rail-
lied his companies into defensive
groups that repelled the enemy
Capt. Diggs is graduate of Dun
bar High School and of Howard
University.
First It. Harold w. Mcleod, son
of Mr.. and Mrs. Luther Mcleod, 315
r street NV. recently was awarded
the Silver Star for gallantry in
action with the 5th Army in North
ern Italy. He is a member of the
92d Buffalo" Infantry Division.
1t. Mcleod led his men over
enemy mortar and machinegun fire
in an attack on a hostile fortified
position in the mountain, the cita-
ton said.
Using two automatic rifle teams,
he killed seven of the enemy and
captured 10, together with numerous
weapons and equipment and took
the battalion objective. Under in
tense enemy mortar, machinegun
and hand grenade fire, 1t Mcleod
held his position until finally ordered
to withdraw. He didn't lose a man.
T. Sergt. Edward G. Lewis, the
son of Mrs. TereSia NJ. Lewis of
7l41 Seventh street NV, was hon.
ored posthumously with the Silver
Star Medal for gallantry in action,
the War Department announced to-
day, Sergt. Lewis was killed while
serving with the 4th Infantry Divi-
sion in Germany.
The citation said Sergt. Lewis
located the position of an enemy
machine gun firing on the right
flank of his company and "delib-
erately disregarding his own safety,
and with the knowledge that the
action might result in his death, he
fired his weapon into the enemy ma
chine-gun nest, killing the gunner
and forcing the other members of
the crew to withdraw"
Sergt. Lewis, 26, native of Leav-
enworth, Kans., was a graduate of
Western High School. He was re-
ported killed in action September
%, 1914. A brother. 1t. Raymond
Lewis. 80, also wounded in action in
Germany. is now in this country
recuperating from his injuries.
Chief Quartermaster James A.
Hunnicutt, L. S. n. R., whose wife.
Mrs Dora J. Hunnicutt, is a WAC
stationed at Fort Myer, Va, was
awarded the Silver Star for dis
tinguishing himself conspicuously by
gallantry and intrepedity in action
near the Philippine Islands while
serving in the acting capacity of
chief quartermaSter on an aircraft
carrier on October "a. 1914"