38 JOMSA in the News

16, 1918, granting him medal number 842. It was His eighth citation was rescinded when the Medal of presented by Major General Patrick at a ceremony at Honor was awarded for the action on September 25th, Souilly on October 19, 1918. when he attacked seven enemy aircraft near Billy, France and shot down two of the formation. His Medal of Honor Although he is shown wearing nine clusters in the was not awarded until twelve years later. The photograph, official records indicate he received eight presentation was made by Herbert Hoover at Bolling awards of the DSC, for extraordinary bravery on the dates Field, Washington, D.C. on November 6, 1930. The listed below: accompanying certificate is dated July 15, 1930 and was authorized by War Department General Order No. 2, 1) April 29, 1918 2) May 17, 1918 3) May 22, 1918 dated January 28, 1931. Figure 4 illustrates the engraving 4) May 28, 1918 5) May 30, 1918 6) Sept. 14, 1918 on the reverse side of his Medal of Honor. This photo 7) Sep 15, 1918 8) Sep 25, 1918 was graciously provided by the United States Air Force Museum, where his World War I medals are on display. On each of these dates, Lieutenant Rickenbacker attacked three to six enemy aircraft and destroyed one on each During October of 1918, Rickenbacker went on to occasion. His citation on May 30th was for his fifth increase his score by destroying eleven more aircraft and victory that also qualified him as an ace. Rickenbacker’s three balloons. His last victory was on October 30, 1918. eight awards of the DSC are the most awarded to any Rickenbacker was promoted to Captain two days earlier, recipient. October 28th, and proudly used this title for the rest of his life, although he later attained the rank of Colonel in the reserve. Rickenbacker received his first award of the French Croix de Guerre, with palm, for a citation in dispatches of the army on May 9, 1918. It was presented by General Gerard in a group ceremony at the Gengoult airdrome, near Toul, on May 15, 1918. Lieutenant Rickenbacker was apprehensive about the ceremony, but greatly relieved that the General did not attempt to kiss his cheek. Two other Croix de Guerre awards, with palm, were for citations in orders of the army on November 30, 1918 and November 8, 1919. The French government bestowed the Legion of Honor, Chevalier class, on Captain Rickenbacker on December 18, 1918, under Order No. 12.059 D, which was his second citation in orders of the Army. The citation reads: "An extraordinary brave pilot, having an absolute disregard of danger, never hesitating to attack his adversaries no matter what their number. During the Marne-Aisne operations, he veritably electrified his companions, brought down four enemy planes." His Victory Medal is worn with the five battle clasps credited to the 94th Aero Squadron: Aisne-Marne, Champagne-Marne, St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne and Defensive Sector. The 94th Aero Squadron was the first American aviation unit to enter combat in World War I, as illustrated by its famous squadron insignia (Figure 5) showing Uncle Sam’s hat being thrown into the ring. Some of the pilots Figure 4: Reverse engraving of Captain wore a privately made silver insignia along side their Rickenbacker’s Medal of Honor. decorations on the left breast. 38 JOMSA In the News Death of Colonel Mitchell Paige, World War II Medal of Honor Recipient Colonel Mitchell Paige, an 85 year-old, retired United States Marine Corps Colonel and World War II Medal of Honor recipient died at his home in La Quinta, Califor- nia of congestive heart failure on November 15, 2003. He was born in Charleroi, Pennsylvania in 1918, the son of Serbian immigrants. On his 18th birthday in 1936, he hitchhiked to the nearest Marine Corps recruiting sta- tion in Baltimore and enlisted. On October 26, 1942, Paige was a sergeant leading a platoon defending a hilltop near Henderson Field on Guadalcanal. He had the 33 men of his platoon place C ration cans filled with empty bullet casings in, and near, the tall grass surrounding their position to warn of sneak attacks and ordered his men to fire until either they or the enemy were dead or wounded. Figure 5: 94th Squadron’s "Hat-in-the-Ring" insignia. When the Japanese attack came it was massive and noisy During World War II, Rickenbacker was offered a and soon Paige was the only unwounded Marine left on commission as a general, but refused. He performed the hilltop. To make the enemy think that the defense special fact-finding missions for the Secretary of War was fully manned during the night, he raced from one and General ’Hap’ Arnold, which took him on a three machine gun to another, firing a few rounds from each. month trip to Russia and China. He also inspected As he did this, he could feel the heat from the bullets American bases in England and Africa as well as that whizzed past his neck and several bullets struck his Greenland, Iceland and the Aleutian Islands. On these helmet. When friendly reinforcements arrived early in trips he also served as special courier and messenger, the morning, Paige grabbed one of the machine guns and carrying secret war plans. For these services and others charged into the Japanese lines. he was awarded the Medal for Merit by President Truman on December 18, 1946. In addition to the Medal of Honor, Paige also received a Purple Heart. He served for an additional two years in Photographs of many of his medal award certificates can the South Pacific and was also a veteran of the Korean be found in his autobiography: Rickenbacker. War. He retired in 1964 and during the Vietnam War he was an advisor for the testing of high-powered rockets. Bibliography: American Military Decorations and Awards Research Institute: After retiring Paige, working with the FBI, spent years www.tamdari.org/dsc.htm on a crusade to identify those who bought, stole and sold the Medal of Honor for profit or false glory. He also Rickenbacker, Capt. Eddie, Fighting the Flying Circus. Doubleday assisted California Republican Representative A1 and Company Inc., Garden City, NY, 1965. McCandless in successfully lobbying for the 1994 bill Rickenbacker, Edward V., Rickenbacker. Prentice-Hall Inc., that increased the penalties for selling a Medal of Honor Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1967. from six months in jail and a $250. fine to one year in jail and a $100.00 fine (18 USC, Section 704.) Robertson, Bruce, editor, Air Aces of the 1914-1918 War. Harleyford Publications Ltd., Letchworth, Herts and Aero Publishers, Inc., Los Angeles, CA. 1964. From a Washington Post obituary by Adam Bernstein United States Air Force Museum, Research Division, Mr.Brett Stolle, Submitted by Bill Jones Correspondence, April-June 2003. Vol. 55, No. 1 39 French National Federation of Firemen Membership Medal Colin R. Bruce II The collecting of worldwide firemen’s medals is a spe- cialization within our hobby. In many European coun- tries national firemen’s medals are also awarded for a certain number of years of service. Figure 2: Reverse of French Firemen’s Medal. On the reverse (Figure 2) is the maker’s name, ARTHUS BERTRAND - PARIS, a well-known manufacturer of orders and medal. The ribbon has equal stripes of deep red, white, and deep red. The illustrations are courtesy of Krause Publications, Iola, Wisconsin. mnmumnnnunmnnmnnnumnnnmnnunnmn In the News Figure 1: Obverse of French Firemen’s Medal. Two Green Berets were awarded the Silver Star in Iraq on Day 18 of the war. Staff Sergeants Jeffery M. Adamec The obverse of this French fireman’s medal (Figure 1) is and Jason D. Brown were part of a force of 26 Green very well made with crossed axes and nozzles behind a Berets and three Air Force Forward Air Controllers who shovel-shaped shield. On the outside of the shield is the defended their position against a reinforced Iraqi motor- legend: COURAGE ET DEVOUEMENT. Around the ized rifle company numbering in the hundreds. Using enameled portion of the shield is the inscription: FED- shoulder-launched Javelin antitank missiles Brown and ERATION NATIONALE DES SAPEURS Adamec each destroyed two armored personnel carriers POMPIERS FRANCAIS. In the center of the enam- and a truck load of Iraqi soldiers. The commander of their eled shield is a fasces surmounted by a fireman’s helmet company said: "Two guys turned an organized Iraqi at- and surrounded by a spray and the letters R and F. The tack into chaos. They halted an entire rifle company." entire medal is silver except for the shield which is gilt with red, white and blue enamel with a silver helmet. From the Rochester, Minnesota Post-Bulletin The designer’s name R. LOUIS is inscribed on the nozzle tip at the upper right. Submitted by Mike Walsh 40 JOMSA .

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