Help with ID on 27th Div. DSC Winner?

[world war I nerd]

I purchased this amazing photo on eBay a few months ago, which among other things displays a 27th Infantry Division soldier (on the far right) wearing the Distinguished Service Cross. The other item of particular interest in this photo is the flag they are holding which bears the insignia of the 27th Division.

 

The only information provided was on the front of the photo, which read: "Company G - April 7, 1919"

 

 

The DSC wearer is definitely a member of the 27th Division, as he wears that division's shoulder patch. I can't be sure, however, it looks as if his collar insignia is an 108th Infantry, Company G disc.

 

But, just in case, the infantry regiments of the 27th Division were composed of the 105th, 106th, 107th & 108th, along with the 105th & 106th Machine Gun Battalions.

 

Any help is appreciated. Thanks for looking,

 

World war I Nerd ...

[world war I nerd]

Close up of the 27th Division flag ...

[world war I nerd]

Closer view of the DSC wearer ...

[world war I nerd]

Sorry, that last image came out a little small. Here's a closer look at his shoulder & collar insignia, as well as the DSC … Who is he?

[aef1917]

The only DSC I can find for Co. G, 108th Infantry is 1/Sgt. Frank J. Vida, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company G, 108th Infantry Regiment, 27th Division, A.E.F., near Ronssoy. France, September 29 - 30, 1918. After all his company officers had been killed or wounded First Sergeant Vida took command, despite the fact that he, too, had been wounded. He succeeded in capturing part of the Hindenburg line and holding it against several strong counterattacks, remaining with his company and refusing to go to the rear for medical treatment until it was relieved.

[Marchville1918]

He is armed with a pistol and appears to have a whistle chain from his left pocket so that would be consistent at least with a 1/Sgt. I have a pictorial history of the 27th Division and I thought maybe that picture of yours might show in the book, but no luck.

[world war I nerd]

Thanks AEF1917 & Marcheville1918 for your rapid responses. I feel like I've seen the DSC wearer's face before, but where or in what context, I don't know.

 

If available, can anyone post an image of 1st Sergeant Frank J. Vida to compare his likeness with the above photo?

[Marchville1918]

I found quite a bit about Frank Joseph Vida on Ancestry.com He was born in Budapest, Hungary around 1894 and came to the USA in 1897. He stayed in the military after the war. I couldn't tell if it was the NG or the regular army. At any rate he retired as a Col in 1948 and died in 1970. I didn't see any picture of him to confirm that he was the man in your photo.

[aef1917]

The photo of Vida in A Short History and Illustrated Roster of the 108th Infantry United States Army, 1918 doesn't really look like your man.

 

The disc could be a C instead of G, in which case it could be 1/Sgt William H. Krause who was awarded the DSC for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company C, 108th Infantry Regiment, 27th Division, A.E.F., near Ronssoy, France, 29 September 1918. First Sergeant Krause displayed great gallantry during the operations against the Hindenburg line. A smoke barrage was put down by the enemy between his company and the company on the left. The company commander having been wounded, Sergeant Krause sent a soldier to establish liaison with the company on the left. When this soldier was severely wounded and unable to accomplish his mission, Sergeant Krause went himself and succeeded in reaching the company. While returning to his own company, Sergeant Krause met a party of Germans attempting to break through the gap between the two companies. In a personal encounter he killed a German officer and forced the rest of the party to withdraw.

[world war I nerd]

The disc could be a "C" or even a "D"? The photo's a bit grainy so the smaller details do not enlarge all that well. Right now, here's the best I can do. I'll try to re-scan the image at a higher resolution. Maybe the disc will come out clearer.

[world war I nerd]

Wow, that came out really small. I hope this is larger ...

[AustinO]

I think it's Co G, 105th, and I think the man is Sgt George D Rapport. Does anyone have a hard copy of the 105th's history? The digitized versions arent as good as the original. He's also smiling in the book, which doesn't help in comparison here...

And in checking Fulton, it looks like he didn't receive the DSC until summer of 1923. Crap.

[world war I nerd]

I'm gonna' try to post larger close ups (Grayscale & Color) of the collar disc … fingers crossed, lets hope they'll be bigger this time …

 

Not as big as I'd hoped, but better than before.

 

To me it looks like Company D, but I still can't make out the regimental number.

[world war I nerd]

AustinO, thanks for the input on the Company G, 105th Regiment DSC winner. Maybe if we continue looking at each regiments NCO DSC awardees we'll find a match!

 

Enlarged color version of the collar disc ...

[Baron3-6]

I agree with others - looks like 105th not 108th.

 

However, to ensure it's not a108th man, there is an illustrated roster of every man who started out in the 108th. Might be able to compare photos and eliminate possibles:

https://dmna.ny.gov/historic/reghist/wwi/infantry/108thInf/Short_History_Illustrated_Roster_108th_1917.pdf

 

Thats the .pdf of the roster / yearbook for the 108th. My wife's gr-grandfather was in the Intelligence Section, 1st Bn, 108th and was wounded badly on the night of 29 Sep 18.

[world war I nerd]

Baron3-6, thanks for the link to the 108th roster. I looked through the faces of the men in HQ, Supply & MG companies as well as the men in the sanitary detachment … and the men in Companies, C,D & G. I couldn't find any look-a-likes. However, the quality of the photos printed in that roster were heavily retouched, and shall we say, not exactly sharp & clear.

[AustinO]

It's the other Company G man - he received his DSC on GO 20 in 1919:

 

http://hamilton.nygenweb.net/military/IngramLeeH.html

 

 

Coincidentally, his photo in the 105th's roster (pre AEF) is quite different which is why I excluded him initially.

Also awarded a French CdG and British Military Medal (after he returned home):

[world war I nerd]

Great detective work AustinO! Your sleuthing is very much appreciated. It's nice to finally have an ID for the DSC holder.

 

I went back and looked in the roster. Apparently there was no Lee H. Ingram in Company G at the time it was published.

[AustinO]

I found him in Co F I believe, he must have transferred over.

[LibertyDivision]

Fascinating photo. Love the unit flag .

[jagjetta]

Austin...You AMAZE me with your research abilities! That was great detective work on everyone's part. Has been a joy to read the thread.

 

And yes, that Division flag is something! You might want to call it to the attention of Al Barnes. He had asked in a thread if anyone had images documenting Division flags in the AEF. While this one looks to be a privately produced flag, at least it represents a Division flag.

 

JAG