Awards and Decorations
World War I Statistics

 

 

[An extract from the ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR TO THE PRESIDENT WAR DEPARTMENT FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 1923 (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1923), pages 162-174]

 

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WAR DEPARTMENT DECORATIONS.

 

Under the inhibition contained in the act of Congress approved April 7, 1922, no awards to members of the United States Army have been made since April 7, 1923, of the medal of honor, distinguished service medal, distinguished service cross, or oak-leaf cluster for services rendered during the World War period. Such of the following figures as pertain to awards of those decorations for World War service are therefore final.

 

Awards of the congressional medal of honor.—Prior to the entrance of the United States in the World War on April 6, 1917, the War Department had made 1,720 awards of the medal of honor, which with 2 awards approved by the department on April 17, 1917, for Civil War service, makes 1,722 awards of the medal of honor for most distinguished gallantry in action prior to the World War. This figure does not include 911 awards canceled by direction of the board of officers convened under the provisions of section 122

 

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of the act of Congress approved June 3, 1916 (39 Stat. L. 214). No awards of this medal for service rendered prior to the World War were made during the last fiscal year.

 

From the beginning of the last fiscal year, July 1, 1922, to and including April 7, 1923, 10 medals of honor were awarded for World War service, making a total of 90 awards of this decoration to officers and enlisted men for individual acts of gallantry and intrepidity performed in the World War. These 90 awards were distributed among divisions and branches of service as follows:
First Division 4
Second Division 7
Third Division 2
Fifth Division 2
Twenty-sixth Division 2
Twenty-seventh Division 6
Twenty-eighth Division 2
Twenty-ninth Division 3
Thirtieth Division 12
Thirty-third Division 9
Thirty-fifth Division 2
Thirty-sixth Division 2
Thirty-seventh Division 1
Forty-second Division 5
Seventy-seventh Division 8
Seventy-eighth Division 2
Eighty-second Division 2
Eighty-ninth Division 9
Ninety-first Division 4
Ninety-third Division 1
Air Service Air Service 3
Tank Corps 2
Total 90

 

 

The medal of honor was bestowed by the President in the name of Congress on the unknown, unidentified Belgian soldier on November 3, 1922, and on the unknown, unidentified Rumanian soldier on May 15, 1923. Including these, there have been altogether six awards of the medal of honor to the unknown dead soldiers of the World War.

 

Recapitulation of awards of the medal of honor.
 
For acts prior to the World War 1,722
For acts in the World War 90
On unknown, unidentified, American soldier 1
On unknown, unidentified, Belgian soldier 1
On unknown, unidentified, British soldier 1
On unknown, unidentified, French soldier 1
On unknown, unidentified, Italian soldier 1
On unknown, unidentified, Rumanian soldier 1
Total awards of the medal of honor, including June 30, 1923 1,818
 

Awards of the distinguished-service medal.—From the beginning of the last fiscal year, July 1, 1922, to and including April 7, 1923, altogether 362 awards of the distinguished-service medal were made for distinguished services rendered during the World War. These, added to the 1,519 awards previously made, make a grand total of 1,881 awards for World War service. No awards of that medal were made during the fiscal year for distinguished services rendered prior to the World War, the total number of awards under this head remaining at 7. Nine distinguished-service medals were, however, issued during the last fiscal year to holders of the certificate of merit, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved July 9, 1918 (40 Stat. L. 871), which, added to the 188 distinguished-service medals and 1 oak-leaf cluster previously issued to replace outstanding certificates of merit, make a total of 197 distinguished-service medals and 1 oak-leaf cluster issued for the purpose specified.

 

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The 1,881 awards of the distinguished-service medal for World War service were to classes of individuals as follows:

 
 

Commissioned officers of the Army 1,193
Enlisted men of the Army 2
Members of the Army Nurse Corps 24
Officers of the United States Navy 31
Officers of the United States Marine Corps 11
American civilians (including 10 welfare workers and 1 female civilian employee of the Signal Corps) 69
Foreign officers 526
Foreign civilians 25
TOTAL 1,881
 

In the following table the 1,881 awards of the distinguished-service medal for World War service are distributed among divisions, staff departments, etc.:

 
 

General headquarters, American Expeditionary Forces 30
Headquarters, First Army 39
Headquarters, Second Army 1
Headquarters, Third Army 2
Headquarters, First Army Corps 4
Headquarters, Second Army Corps 11
Headquarters, Third Army Corps 4
Headquarters, Fourth Army Corps 4
Headquarters, Fifth Army Corps 8
Total awards to headquarters personnel 103
First Division1 25
Second Division2 22
Third Division 17
Fourth Division 15
Fifth Division 6
Sixth Division 2
Tenth Division3 1
Twenty-sixth Division 11
Twenty-seventh Division 21
Twenty-eighth Division 15
Twenty-ninth Division 15
Thirtieth Division 13
Thirty-first Division 2
Thirty-second Division 19
Thirty-third Division 16
Thirty-fifth Division 4
Thirty-sixth Division 8
Thirty-seventh Division 7
Fortieth Division1 3
Forty-second Division 18
Seventy-sixth Division 2
Seventy-seventh Division 4
Seventy-eighth Division 14
Seventy-ninth Division 4
Eightieth Division 14
Eighty-first Division 6
Eighty-second Division 8
Eighty-third Division 2
Eighty-eighth Division 1
Eighty-ninth Division 10
Ninetieth Division 7
Ninety-first Division 8
Ninety-second Division 2
Ninety-third Division 1
Total awards to divisional personnel 323
1. Includes 1 enlisted man.

2. Includes 6 officers of the United States Marine Corps.

3. Includes 1 medical officer combating the influenza epidemic in the United States.

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General Staff Corps 66
Adjutant General's Department 25
Inspector General's Department 12
Judge Advocate General's Department 29
Quartermaster Corps 69
Motor Transport Corps 13
Transportation Corps 14
Medical Department: 149
… Medical Corps 120
… Dental Corps 2
… Sanitary Corps 1
… Veterinary Corps 1
… Ambulance Service 1
… Army Nurse Corps 24
Finance Department 1
Corps of Engineers 46
Ordnance Department 43
Signal Corps4 27
Chemical Warfare Service 15
Militia Bureau 1
Provost Marshal General's Department 6
Services of Supply 21
Postal Express Service 2
Chaplains 4
Field Artillery 32
Coast Artillery Corps 28
Infantry 15
Tank Corps 4
Air Service 21
Total awards to branch and bureau personnel 643
Miscellaneous:
American Expeditionary Forces in Siberia 6
American Forces in Northern Russia 2
Military attachés 13
Officers serving in the United States or at more than one headquarters 136
Officers of the United States Navy 31
Officers of the United States Marine Corps not attached to the Second Division 5
American Civilians5 68
Foreign civilians 25
Foreign offlcers 526
Grand total of awards of distinguished-service medal for World War service 1,881
4. Includes 1 female telephone operator (civilian).

5. Includes 10 awards to members of welfare societies and 58 awards to officials on duty in, or connected with, offices or bureaus of the War Department and various other Government agencies.

 

NOTE.—In connection with the foregoing table, it should be stated that the classification of awards of the distinguished-service medal for World War service by divisions, branches of service, etc. presents difficulties because of the fact that in many instances the medal was awarded for services performed by the recipient in several capacities. As between branches of service and divisions, the award has been credited to the latter whenever possible; e. g., the total of 149 awards credited to the Medical Department does not include 26 awards of this medal to medical officers serving with divisions, these being credited instead to the divisions concerned.

 

Recapitulation of awards of the distinguished-service medal and oak-leaf cluster.
 

  Distinguished-service medal Oak-leaf cluster Total
For services prior to the World War 7   7
In lieu of certificates of merit issued prior to July 9, 1918 197 1 198
For services in the World War 1,881   1,881
Total awards to and including June 30, 1923 2,085 1 2,086
 
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Awards of the distinguished-service cross.—From the beginning of the last fiscal year, July 1, 1922, to and including April 7, 1923, altogether 259 awards of the distinguished-service cross and 7 of the oak-leaf cluster (in lieu of an additional cross) were made for acts of heroism performed during the World War. These awards added to those heretofore made make a total of 6,041 distinguished-service crosses and 111 oak-leaf clusters awarded for acts of heroism in the World War.

 

During the fiscal year 6 distinguished-service crosses were awarded for acts of heroism performed prior to the World War, making a total of 26 awards of the cross for that purpose up to the close of the year.

 

The awards of the distinguished-service cross (6,041) and of the oak-leaf cluster (111) for heroism in the World War were distributed among divisions, staff departments, members of American welfare societies, and members of foreign armies, as follows:

 
 

Organizations, etc. Distinguished-service cross Oak-leaf cluster Total
First Division 558 10 568
Second Division 708 13 721
Third Division 449 2 451
Fourth Division 177 1 178
Fifth Division 206   206
Sixth Division 16   16
Seventh Division 37   37
Eighteenth Division 11   11
Twenty-sixth Division 316 6 322
Twenty-seventh Division 215 3 218
Twenty-eighth Division 172 4 176
Twenty-ninth Division 157   157
Thirtieth Division 316   316
Thirty-second Division2 261   261
Thirty-third Division 212   212
Thirty-fifth Division 94 1 95
Thirty-sixth Division 40   40
Thirty-seventh Division 73 1 74
Forty-first Division 43   43
Forty-second Division 268 3 271
Seventy-seventh Division 234 3 237
Seventy-eighth Division 125   125
Seventy-ninth Division 105   105
Eightieth Division 57   57
Eighty-first Division 24   24
Eighty-second Division 103 1 104
Eighty-third Division 14   14
Eighty-fifth Division4 23   23
Eighty-ninth Division 147 1 148
Ninetieth Division 102   102
Ninety-first Division 155 1 156
Ninety-second Division 22   22
Ninety-third Division 75   75
Total awards to divisional personnel 5,466 50 5,516
American Expeditionary Forces in Siberia: 28 1 29
… Headquarters 1 1 2
… Quartermaster Corps 1   1
… Twenty-seventh Infantry 6   6
… Thirty-first Infantry 17   17
… Replacement Battalion 3   3
Quartermaster Corps 11   11
Army Transport Service 1   1
Medical Corps5 4   4
Ambulance Service 28   28
Army Nurse Corps 3   3
1. For heroism on the Mexican border, August 27, 1918.

2. See Note 3.

3. Enlisted men of the One hundred and forty-seventh and One hundred and forty-eighth Regiments of Field Artillery which were detached at the time of the performance of the heroic acts and attached to the Thirty-second Division.

4. Troops serving in northern Russia.

5. Officers attached to British forces.

 

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Organizations, etc. Distinguished-service cross Oak-leaf cluster Total
Corps of Engineers: Twenty-first Engineers 1   1
Eleventh Railway Engineers 3   3
Chemical Warfare Service: First Gas Regiment 18   18
Cavalry: Second Cavalry 1   1
Coast Artillery Corps 10   10
Tank Corps 45 4 49
Air Service 258 54 312
Antiaircraft machine-gun battalions: First Battalion 1   1
Second Battalion 3   3
Salvage Squadron No. 1 2   2
American welfare organizations (civilian): Young Men's Christian Association 5   5
American Red Cross (male) 1   1
American Red Cross (female) 1   1
Foreign armies: British Army 246   246
French Army 137 2 139
Total awards to personnel other than divisional 575 61 636
Grand total of awards of distinguished-service cross for World War service 6,068 111 6,179
6. Includes 9 awards to members of the Australian Army.

 

As stated in the last annual report of this office, the distinguished-service cross has also been bestowed on the unknown, unidentified American soldier buried in the national cemetery at Arlington, Va.

 

Recapitulation of awards of the distinguished-service cross and oak-leaf cluster.
 

  Distinguished-service cross Oak-leaf cluster Total
Awards to American officers and enlisted men 5,873 109 5,982
Awards to American civilians 7   7
Awards to members of foreign armies 161 2 163
Award to unknown, unidentified American soldier 1   1
Total awards for World War service: 6,042 111 6,153
Awards for service prior to the World War 26   26
Total awards of the distinguished-service cross and oak-leaf cluster to and including June 30, 1923 6,068 111 6,179
 

Awards of silver stars.—From the beginning of the last fiscal year, July 1, 1922, to and including April 7, 1923, the War Department awarded 337 silver-star citations in War Department general orders for gallantry in action during the World War. These, added to the 327 citations previously awarded by the Department, make a total of 664 awards of this decoration by the War Department for gallantry in action during the World War, of which 1 was to a soldier of the French Army, 2 to American civilians (1 a member of the Young Men's Christian Association and 1 a member of the American Red Cross), and the remaining 661 to United States Army officers and enlisted men. In addition, many persons have been awarded citations for gallantry in action in orders issued from the headquarters of brigades, divisions, army corps, and armies, each of which likewise carries with it the award of a citation star. These citations are of record in the War Department, but no compilation of their number

 

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has yet been made. It is estimated, however, that there are more than 40,000 such citations.

 

During the fiscal Year the War Department also awarded 12 silver-star citations in War Department general orders for gallantry in action prior to the World War, making a total of 42 such awards to and including June 30, 1923.

 

FOREIGN DECORATIONS.

 

Between July 9, 1918, the date of the approval of the act of Congress (40 Stat. L. 872) permitting members of the military forces of the United States serving in the World War to accept and wear certain foreign decorations, and the close of the last fiscal year, the various nations allied or associated with the United States during the World War awarded a total of 18,019 decorations to officers and enlisted men of the United States Army to members of American welfare organizations and to American civilians connected in some capacity with the allied armies or the several interallied commissions or who otherwise rendered meritorious services to the allied cause. The time limit prescribed in the act of Congress approved July 9, 1918, within which such decorations could be accepted by members of the military establishment expired on July 1, 1922. The statistics of these decorations, however, are undergoing constant change and revision, because of cancellations, corrections, and discoveries as to decorations awarded within.the time limit but which had not previously been indexed. The latest figures on these 18,019 awards, classified by countries and specific decorations, are as follows:

 

Belgium:
 

Order of Leopold (Ordre de Léopold) 88
Grand cross 1
Grand officer 5
Commander 17
Officer 33
Chevalier 31
Order of the Crown (Ordre de la Couronne) 142
Grand cross 2
Grand officer 3
Commander 26
Officer 46
Chevalier 63
Gold medal 2
Order of Leopold II (Ordre de Léopold II) 47
Commander 5
Officer 8
Chevalier 25
Gold medal 4
Silver medal 2
Bronze medal 3
War cross (croix de guerre) 469
Medal of Queen Elisabeth, without cross (Médaille de la Reine Elisabeth, sans croix) 5
Military cross (croix militaire) 9
First Class 5
Second class 4
Military decoration (decoration militaire) 20
Civic decoration (decoration civique) second class 1
Commemorative medal 1
TOTAL 782
 
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China:
 

Order of the Striped Tiger (Wen-Hu) 4
Second class 3
Third class 1
Order of the Golden Grain (Chah-Ho) 12
Precious Light (Pao Kwang) 3
First class 2
Second class 1
Third class 1
Fourth class 3
Fifth class 2
TOTAL 16
Cuba:
 
Order of Military Merit 1
Czechoslovakia:
 
War Cross (croix de guerre) 27
Revolutionary medal 1
TOTAL 28
France:
 
Order of Nichan el Anouar 1
Legion of Honor (Légion d'honneur) 1,070
Grand cross 2
Grand officer 1
Commander 102
Officer 348
Chevalier 617
Order of the Black Star (Etoile Noire) 285
Commander 15
Officer 173
Chevalier 97
Military medal (médaille militaire) 304
War cross (croix de guerre) 11,589
Palm 1,859
Gilt star 2,926
Silver star 3,261
Bronze star 3,543
Order of the University Palms (Palmes Universitaires) 431
Officer of public instruction 72
Officer of the academy 359
Order of Agricultural Merit (Mérite Agricole) 101
Officer 20
Chevalier 81
Medal of honor, life-saving, for acts of saving and devotion (médaille d'honneur de sauvetage pour actes de courage et de dévouement) 17
Silver gilt 4
Bronze 13
Medal of honor, epidemics (médaille d'honneur des epidemies) 289
Silver gilt 38
Silver 150
Bronze 101
170
 
Medal of honor, foreign affairs (médaille d'honneur desaffaires étrangères) 56
Silver gilt 21
Silver 25
Bronze 10
War Cross of exterior theaters of operations, with palm 1
Mutuality medal (médaille mutualité) 2
Medal of national recognition (médaille de la reconnaissance) 5
Gold 1
Bronze 4
TOTAL 14,151
Great Britain:
 
Order of the Bath 50
Knight grand cross 1
Knight commander 5
Companion 44
Order of St. Michael and St. George 81
Knight grand cross 2
Knight commander 18
Companion 61
Royal Victorian Order, commander 2
Order of the British Empire 33
Knight commander 1
Commander 5
Officer 1
Member 26
Distinguished Service Order 79
Royal Red Cross 75
Member 19
Associate 56
Military cross 323
Distinguished flying cross 18
Order of St. John of Jerusalem in England 1
Distinguished conduct medal 114
Military medal 411
Meritorious service medal 30
TOTAL 1,217
Greece:
 
Royal Order of the Redeemer 16
Knight grand cross 1
Commander 1
Officer 7
Knight 7
Order of George I 10
Knight grand cross 1
Grand commander 2
Commander 2
Officer 5
War cross (croix de guerre), second class 4
Medal of military merit 5
Third class 1
Fourth class 4
TOTAL 35
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Italy:
 

Order of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus 63
Grand cross 2
Grand officer 2
Commander 15
Officer 30
Knight 14
Military Order of Savoy, grand cross 1
Military valor medal 22
Gold 1
Silver 12
Bronze 9
Order of the Crown of Italy 161
Knight grand cross 2
Grand officer 8
Commander 44
Officer 38
Knight 69
War service ribbon 381
War cross (croce di guerra) 395
TOTAL 1,023
Japan:
 
Order of the Rising Sun 33
Grand Cordon of the Paulownia 1
First class 3
Second class 1
Third class 11
Fourth class 5
Fifth class 12
Order of the Sacred Treasure 18
Second class 1
Third class 8
Fourth class 4
Fifth class 5
TOTAL 51
Monaco:
 
Order of St. Charles 2
Commander 1
Knight 1
Montenegro:
 
Obilitch medal 1
Order of Prince Danilo I 125
Grand cross 1
Grand officer 10
Commander 62
Office 20
Chevalier 32
Medal for military bravery (médaille pour la bravoure militaire) 94
Medal for devotion to patriotic service (médaille pour la zèle) 10
Gold 4
Silver 6
War cross (croix de guerre) 1
TOTAL 231
172

Panama:
 

Medal of ''La Solidaridad'' 113
First class 1
Second class 79
Third class 33
Poland:
 
Virtuti Militari 1
Commemorative cross 74
White and red ribbon 4
Poland's regeneration (Polonia restituta) 35
First class 2
Second class 6
Third class 14
Fourth class 13
Krzyz Walecznych 34
TOTAL 148
Portugal:
 
Order of Avis 8
Grand cross 1
Commander 3
Officer 1
Chevalier 3
Order of Christ 4
Grand officer 1
Officer 1
Chevalier 2
War cross 18
Second class 2
Third class 16
TOTAL 30
Rumania:
 
Order of Michel the Brave, grand cross 1
Order of the Star of Rumania 21
Grand officer 1
Officer 8
Knight 12
Order of the Crown of Rumania 29
Grand cross 1
Grand officer 1
Commander 6
Officer 10
Knight 11
Order of Queen Mary, second class 2
TOTAL 53
Russia:
 
Order of St. Vladimir, fourth class 1
Order of St. Anne 25
Second class 5
Third class 20
173
 
Order of St. Stanislaus 28
First class 2
Second class 14
Third class 12
St. George's cross, fourth class 22
St. Stanislas' medal 7
St. Anne's medal, silver 2
TOTAL 85
Serbia:
 
Star of Karageorge, knight grand cross 1
Order of the White Eagle 32
Grand officer 2
Commander 9
Officer 17
Knight 4
Order of St. Sava 19
Grand officer 2
Commander 1
Officer 8
Knight 8
Medal for bravery, gold 1
TOTAL 53
GRAND TOTAL 18,019

RECAPITULATION

Belgium 782
China 16
Cuba 1
Czechoslovakia 28
France 14,151
Great Britain 1,217
Greece 35
Italy 1,023
Japan 51
Monaco 2
Montenegro 231
Panama 113
Poland 148
Portugal 30
Rumania 53
Russia 85
Serbia 53
Grand total 18,019

 

 
 

Foreign decorations bestowed on unknown, unidentified American soldier.—Following is a list of the decorations of foreign countries that were bestowed on the unknown, unidentified, American soldier who was buried in the national cemetery at Arlington, Va., on November 11, 1921:
 

Croix de Guerre Belgium
War Cross Czechoslovakia
Legion of Honor France
Médaille Militaire France
Croix de Guerre France
Victoria Cross Great Britain
Gold Medal for Bravery Italy
Virtuti Militari Poland
Virtutea Militara Rumania
 

Foreign decorations awarded to organizations of the United States Army.—The Portuguese Republic conferred the decoration of Cavalier of the Military Order of "Torre e Espada" (Tower and Sword) by presidential decree dated March 9, 1922, on the One hundred and seventh Infantry of the Twenty-seventh Division and

 

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the One hundred and twentieth Infantry Regiment of the Thirtieth Division. The War Department accepted these decorations on behalf of the two organizations mentioned and caused the decorations to be presented to the colors of the organizations with formal ceremony.

 

No additional award of the French fourragère, or shoulder cord, was made to any organization of the Army during the past fiscal year.

 

Up to and including June 30, 1923, altogether 434 members or former members of the Army had been authorized to wear the French fourragère, or shoulder cord, as an individual decoration in the colors of the French Croix de Guerre (green and red) under existing regulations.

 

SERVICE MEDALS.

 

The following table shows the number of certificates furnished during the last fiscal year and the total number to July 1, 1923, for the issue of the several authorized service medals:

 
 

Service medal Number of certificates furnished
During fiscal year 1923 Total to July 1, 1923
Civil War campaign medal 2 456
Indian campaign medal 8 1,947
Spanish campaign medal 15 7,667
Spanish War service medal 981 13,948
Philippine campaign medal 47 5,699
Cuban occupation medal 19 3,916
Porto Rican occupation medal 15 296
China campaign medal 1 1,674
Cuban pacification medal 2 6,328
Mexican service medal 95 16,230
Mexican border service medal 746 34,980
Victory medal 16,6311 2,221,7141
 

1. Medals actually issued.

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