Awards
15th Field Artillery
Regiment
WORLD WAR ONE
Most Highly
Decorated Members of the
15th Field Artillery Regiment in WW-I
By:
Dan Gillotti, Historian
15th FA Regiment
During World War One, members of the 15th Field Artillery Regiment, commanded by Colonel Joseph R. Davis, received numerous awards for Valor and Bravery.
These awards
included:
5 awards of the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)
1 award of the Distinguished Service Medal (DSM)
401 awards of the Silver Star (SS)
1 award of the French Legion of Honor (LH)
1 award of the Belgian Order of Leopold (OL)
124 awards of the French Croix de Guerre (CdeG)
3 awards of the Belgian Croix de Guerre (B CdeG)
DISTINGUISHED
SERVICE
CROSS
First Lieutenant Coleman H. Van de
Graff
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star (3
awards), French Croix de Guerre (2 awards)
The
Distinguished Service Cross is awarded to Second Lieutenant Coleman H. Van De
Graff, 15th Field Artillery, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in
action near Villemontoire, France, July 21, 1918. On duty with the
infantry as liaison officer, Lieutenant Van De Graff displayed marked courage in
passing through an enemy artillery barrage several times, in carrying
information to his battalion commander and administering aid to wounded men
under heavy shell fire. Home Town: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Corporal George J. Overmeyer
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star (2
awards), French Croix de Guerre (2 awards)
The
Distinguished Service Cross is awarded to Corporal George J. Overmeyer,
Headquarters Company, 15th Field Artillery, United States Army, for repeated
acts of extraordinary heroism in action near Chateau-Thierry, France, June
20, 1918, and near Vierzy, France, July 18, 1918.
CPL George Overmeyer awarded
the DSC in August 1918
On June 20 Corporal Overmeyer was in charge of an observation post which was bombarded by gas shells. In spite of the fact that the other observers were overcome by the gas, he remained at his post and continued to transmit observation to the artillery battalion commander. On July 18 Corporal Overmeyer was on liaison duty in the infantry and advanced with the third wave of the attack. He successfully carried a message through two enemy barrages to the artillery commander, thus giving proof of his courageous devotion to duty. Home Town: Hartford City, Indiana
Corporal Edward Bessinger
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Distinguished Service Cross
(Posthumous), Silver Star, French
Croix de Guerre
The
Distinguished Service Cross is awarded to Corporal Edward Bessinger,
Headquarters Company, 15th Field Artillery, United States Army, for repeated
acts of extraordinary heroism in action near Chateau-Thierry, France, and
near Thiaucourt, France, June 1, July 1, and September 17, 1918. Near
Chateau-Thierry, Corporal Bessinger repeatedly exposed himself to heavy
shell and gas bombardments in order to maintain telephone communication
between the Infantry and Artillery posts of command. Near Thiaucourt,
on September 17, Corporal Bessinger accompanied the first wave of Infantry
carrying a projector, and, in spite of the heavy shell fire, kept the
Artillery informed of the progress of the attack. He was killed near
Bomme, France, on October 7, while in the faithful performance of his duty.
Home Town: Chicago, Illinois
Captain Oliver B. Cunningham
[Memorial]
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Distinguished Service Cross
(Posthumous), Silver Star
The
Distinguished Service Cross is awarded to Captain Oliver B. Cunningham, 15th
Field Artillery, United States Army, for repeated acts of extraordinary
heroism in action near Villemontoire, Chateau-Thierry, and St. Mihiel,
France, July 21, 1918 to September 17, 1918. During this period
Captain Cunningham, with utter disregard for his personal safety, on
numerous occasions exposed himself to the enemy fire while reconnoitering
and performing liaison work. On September 17, while at his post as
liaison officer with the most advanced infantry unit, Captain Cunningham was
killed by an enemy shell. Home Town: Chicago, Illinois
First Lieutenant Robert W. Kean
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star
The
Distinguished Service Cross is awarded to First Lieutenant Robert Winthrop
Kean, 15th Field Artillery, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in
action near Vierzy, France, July 18-19, 1918. Lieutenant Kean
accompanied two successive waves of infantry in the attack on Vierzy and
Villemontoire, July 18, and exposed himself with almost reckless disregard
of the enemy's heavy shell and machine-gun fire.
1LT
Robert W. Kean receiving the Distinguished Service Cross
at a ceremony in Paris, France, 1919
He secured valuable information for the artillery as to the location of our own and the enemy's lines, and personally took command of an isolated 9th Infantry machine-gun detachment that had lost its officers by heavy fire. Lieutenant Kean on July 18 and 19 actually accompanied three successive waves of the 23d Infantry, the 9th Infantry, and an attack by French infantry without rest. His endurance and courage were exceptional and most inspiring upon this occasion, and upon all other occasions of attack by the 2d Division. Home Town: New York, New York
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
MEDAL
Colonel Joseph R. Davis
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star (3 awards), French Legion of
Honor, French Croix de Guerre (3 awards)
SILVER
STAR
5 SILVER STARS:
Sergeant Charles F. Brennon
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Silver Star (5 awards), French Croix de Guerre (2
awards)
Captain Dennis P. McCarthy
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Silver Star (5 awards), French Croix de Guerre
Captain Floyd C. Sager
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Silver Star (5 awards)
4 SILVER STARS:
Captain Carl W. Shaffer
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Silver Star (4 awards), Belgian Order of Leopold
First Sergeant Gabriel B. Celetta
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Silver Star (4 awards), French Croix de
Guerre,
2 Purple Heart Medals, and the Victory Medal
with 5 Campaign Stars
First Sergeant Gabriel B. Celetta
Photo credit: Brian Becker
Sergeant Tony Cone
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Silver Star (4 awards), French Croix de Guerre
Sergeant Luther C. Harris
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Silver Star (4 awards), French Croix de Guerre
3 SILVER STARS:
Captain Willis H. Ryder
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Silver Star (3 awards), French Croix de Guerre (2
awards)
Captain Frank O. German
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Silver Star (3 awards), French Croix de Guerre
First Lieutenant Norman F. Claussen
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Silver Star (3 awards), French Croix de Guerre
First Lieutenant Elmer Hesse
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Silver Star (3 awards), French Croix de Guerre
First Lieutenant John A. McCann
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Silver Star (3 awards), French Croix de Guerre
Sergeant Byron A. Avriett
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Silver Star (3 awards), French Croix de Guerre
Sergeant James T. Kenney
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Silver Star (3 awards), French Croix de Guerre
Sergeant William Long
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Silver Star (3 awards), French Croix de Guerre
Sergeant James W. Sweeney
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Silver Star (3 awards), French Croix de Guerre
Corporal Benjamin F. Cline
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Silver Star (3 awards), French Croix de Guerre
Corporal Edmund J. Pelletier
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Silver Star (3 awards), French Croix de Guerre
Corporal William M. Quisenberry
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Silver Star (3 awards), French Croix de Guerre
Corporal Harold J. Sebring
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Silver Star (3 awards), French Croix de Guerre
Major Charles G. Helmick
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Silver Star (3 awards)
Captain Jerome J. Waters Jr.
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Silver Star (3 awards)
Sergeant Henry C. Moore
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Silver Star (3 awards)
Corporal Floyd Ibbotson
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Silver Star (3 awards)
Waggoneer Russel L. Anderson
15th Field Artillery Regiment
Silver Star (3 awards)
FRENCH
CROIX
DE
GUERRE
Croix De Guerre award
certificate presented to
First Sergeant
Gabriel B. Celetta
Image credit:
Brian Becker
(click to enlarge)
WW1 LINKS
IMAGE CREDIT FOR
MEDALS
AND DECORATIONS:
The Institute of Heraldry