Evening star., 1945-05-31
Three D. {. Area Men
Awarded Silver Stars;
Brazil Honors Colonel

1t. Col. Ladder B. Mackall, son
Of Mr.. and Mrs. Ladder Mackall.
3401 Woodley road NV, mas aeen
awarded the Silver Star for out
standing heroism while on a mission
with the Goth Bomber Command
based in India.
Col. Mackall. pilot, protected
another B-29 Super~F'ortress which
was damaged by enemy fire. With
gallant disregard for his personal
danger and by using all the pilot
ing skill at his command" the cita-
ton said, "he kept close to the
damaged aircraft and was able to
shield it from many savage at
tacks.
Born in Washington 26 years ago,
attended st. Adams School here.
He was graduated from Princeton
In 1888, and took two years of law
at Georgetown University before
entering the Army.
COrpl. Joseph E. Long, whose wife,
Mrs. Margaret Louise Long, lives at
l2517 Pennsylvania avenue NV, has
been awarded the Silver Star for
risking his life to save 10 American
soldiers who were encircled by the
enemy near Budenthal. Germany,
last December, dispatch from Eu-
rope revealed today.
In a final attempt to rescue 78
American soldiers who were sur
rounded in small town on the
Siegfried Line, Corpl. Long and two
other soldiers volunteered to formia
small patrol which would attempt to
reach the encircled men and bring
them back to friendly lines" the
citation accompanying the award
reads. 80 The patrol raced into
the town and moved to the house
in which the 78 men were holding
out. While the other members of
the patrol collected the tired and
weakened soldiers and began to lead
them out of the town, Corpl. Long
organized number of men to pro-
vide covering fire for the withdrawal.
When the enemy subjected the route
to intense machine-gun and mortar
fire, Corpl. Long moved among his
men, encouraging them, directing
their fire and urging them on He
did not withdraw himself until
every one had safely left the town."
the citation stated.
Corpl. Long entered the Army in
April, 1914, and was sent overseas
last October. He is attached to the
45th Infantry Division in the 7th
hrnthnr AHo1u;,, ;e
in the Navy.
S/Sergt. Henry H. Downes, jr.,
son Of H. Hackett Downes, 1926
Harvard street NV and Mrs. Mary
w. Downes, 4615 Chevy Chase boule-
ward, Chevy Chase, Md, has been
awarded the Silver Star Medal for
gallantry in action in France last
November, when Sergt. Downes,
then private first class, assumed
command of patrol after the
leader had fallen.
After rallying and reorga aizing
the patrol, he personally accounted
for four of the enemy with ac-
curate rifle fire and led his COM
rades forward to complete the mis-
sion successfully, the citation said.
Sergt. Downes entered the service
August 3, 1s43, Immediately after his
graduation from Dewitt Preparatory
School, He was wounded a few
days after the action that won him
the Silver Star. but returned to
duty in. January.
Col. Charles o. Bruce, whose wife,
Mrs. Edith Bruce, lives at 2737 Dev-
onshire place NV, was among 81
American 5th Army officers deco
rated yesterday with the Brazilian
War Medal for assistance in train
ing and equipping the Brazilian
expeditionary force in Italy, accord
ing to an Associated Press dispatch
from Rome. Gen. Joao Batista Mas
carenhas de Moras, commander of
the BEF, presented the awards. Col
Bruce, a doctor in the Medical
Corps, has been in Italy more than
three years, his wife said. He also
wears the Legion of Merit