In Lieu of Certificate of Merit Medal - Distiguished Service Medal

[MMcollector]

1918 U.S. MINT DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL #1485

in Lieu of Certificate of Merit Medal:

 

Master Sergeant Louis A. Sillito

 

 

(What does in "lieu if certificate of Merit Medal" mean?)

 

CONVERSTION AWARDS:

When the Certificate of Merit was disestablished by Act of Congress in 1918, the law provided that the "Distinguished Service Medal also be issued to all enlisted men of the Army to whom the certificate of merit has been granted... in lieu of such certificates of merit, and after the passage of this act the award of the certificate of merit for distinguished service shall cease...." A total of 271 recipients applied for the Distinguished Service Medal in lieu of previously awarded Certificates of Merit.

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(This Distinguished Service Medal is 1 of only 271 medals "issued in Lieu of the Certificate of Merit"

 

United States Army Master Sergeant Louis A. Sillito (Serial #56-010) was born in Nashville Tennessee in 1871, & he grew up in Minnesota Sillito enlisted as a Private in the Army Hospital corps during the Spanish American War in 1898. He was stationed in Guantanamo, Cuba with the 3rd United States Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Co. C. On Sept 1st 1898, & he was awarded the Certificate of Merit for nursing yellow fever patients.

From 1901 through 1916 Sillito served with the 28th Infantry Regiment, the 28th first saw combat service from December 1901 to January 1904 during the PhilippineAmerican War where Sillito's regiment was heavily involved in counter-guerrilla operations. During the years 19061908, the regiment, minus one battalion, performed guard and police duty as part of the American forces of Cuban Occupation. The 28th Regiment was back in the Philippine's during the Moro Rebellion (1899-1913).

In 1913 Sillito was was still with the 28th Infantry & was ordered to Texas to assist in guarding the Mexican border against raids by Pancho Villa.

By the time United States entered into World War I, Sillito was a Color Sergeant in the 28th regiment was assigned to the First Expeditionary Division June 8th 1917, which later became the 1st Infantry Division. Sergeant Sillito Departed New York, NY bound for France on the SS Antilles June 14th 1917. Sergeant Sillito saw combat action in the Meuse-Argon, Champagne-Marne Aisne-Marne, Oise-Aisne, and Ypres-Lys battlefields. General John Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force, declared that the 28th soldiers were "Men of Iron" and named the 28th ID as his "Iron Division." The 28th developed a red keystone-shaped shoulder patch, officially adopted on 27 October 1918.

Color Sergeant Sillito departed Brest, France on the Transport ship U.S.S. Orizaba Aug. 22nd 1919. Sillito retired from the Army after World War I as a Master Sergeant.

Sergeant Sillito was awarded Army Distinguished Service Medal #1485 on April 8th 1921, in Lieu of the Certificate of Merit Medal, under the provisions of the act of Congress July 9th 1918. His citations reads:

"The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Louis A. Sillito, Private, U.S. Army, for volunteering to nurse and nursing yellow fever patients at Guantanamo, Cuba, on 1 September 1898, while serving as a member of Company C, 3rd Infantry Regiment."

Master Sergeant Louis A. Sillito passed away May 27th 1941. He is buried at the Fort Vancouver Military Cemetery, Clark County, Vancouver, WA. Section 3-E Site 1143.

[MMcollector]

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[atb]

Beautiful medal, but, I am misreading this or have you confused the 28th Infantry Regiment and 28th Infantry Division in the part about his WW1 service? Was he in the 1st Division or 28th Division? Also, it seems he was in the 3rd Infantry Regiment, a Regular Army unit, not the 3rd Volunteer Infantry (if there even was a 3rd Volunteer Infantry). These would be two different units.

[KASTAUFFER]

Very nice medal! Based on your screen grab from Ancestry, 28th INF Regiment is correct.

 

Kurt

[AustinO]

Beautiful medal. He filed for a Minnesota WWI bonus, but had his request denied. Must not have spent enough time in MN prior to the war.