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

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

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

silvermed.gif (4235 bytes)

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

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

frcrxmedal.gif (5978 bytes)

   
Croix De Guerre award
certificate presented to
First Sergeant
Gabriel B. Celetta
Image credit:
Brian Becker
   

Croix De Guerre
(click to enlarge)


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IMAGE CREDIT FOR MEDALS
AND DECORATIONS:
The Institute of Heraldry