multiple dsc recipients photo

[4STARCHRIS]

Bill.

You bet it does. It all counts.

I was going to set a seperate thread for multiple Navy cross recipient as well. It is hard travelling between Houston and Denver though.

I have worked with the Legion of Valor over the years and gone to many reunions.

Thanks for participating.

Post more of you have them.

4starchris

[4STARCHRIS]

wjw-stan wawrzyniak-

USMC- Voted #1 badass by a recent USMC poll.

These are his Double Navy Cross minis. These are in my collection.

Hope this repents me Bill for the USMC. :w00t:

What do you think Bill. #1 badass. Very cool.

4starchris

[USMCRECON]

Well, this fellow is (was) hardly one of my favorite people but he deserves mention here....COL David Hackworth. I had to get this photo from the Internet. Oddly, going through several pages of Hackworth searches, this is the only photo I could find of him in dress uniform with (some of) his ribbons.

 

.....and look, his CIB is crooked!!

 

[Dave]

How about a picture of a Marine equivelant. While serving with the OSS, Major (later Lt Col) Peter Julian Ortiz was awarded two Navy Crosses. Does that count? :think:

 

Four Navy Crosses and the Medal of Honor perhaps?

[KurtA]

How about a picture of a Marine equivelant. While serving with the OSS, Major (later Lt Col) Peter Julian Ortiz was awarded two Navy Crosses. Does that count? :think:

 

 

A USMC uniform with OSS patch! How cool is that? I can just see us all ripping it apart as a fake if it showed up on Ebay.

Kurt

[4STARCHRIS]

Capt Edward Rickenbacher's DSC ribbons close-up.

However, this is not your everyday oak-leaf clusters.

4starchris

[4STARCHRIS]

 

Here is General of the Army MacArthur's double DSC mini ribbon bar.

4starchris

[USMCRECON]

A USMC uniform with OSS patch! How cool is that? I can just see us all ripping it apart as a fake if it showed up on Ebay.

Kurt

Peter Ortiz was the real deal. His father was Spanish, if I remember correctly, and his mother was American. He went to school in Europe and while there joined the French Foreign Legion, fising to Temporaty Lieutenant rank. He saw combat in Africa against the Germans, including being woulded, captured, and escaping. After returning to the US he enlisted in the Marines and while in boot camp, was summarily appointed to the officer ranks. Since he had experience fighting against the Germans, he was detailed to London and the OSS.

 

His decorations included the Croix d' Operations Extereur (sp?), with stars and palms, Croix d' Guerre also with stars and palms, Moroccan Ouissam Alouite Chevalier, Legion d' Honneur Chevalier, Medaille des Evades, Medaille de Blesse, and, of course, US EAME campaign, Purple Heart and, of course, the two Navy Crosses. A genuine war hero in a theater not normally worked by Marines.

 

His OSS exploits are the stuff of legend. After the war he went to Hollywood as an actot and advisor. At one point (I think in the 50s) a movie was made based on his exploits.

[teufelhunde.ret]

Peter Ortiz USMC /OSS

Sometimes NS comes in the form of an Adventurer’s spirit — a spirit nonetheless of a character that is all American even though its course of action follows a “special course of “Force.”

 

Marines have always considered themselves elite and a special force. During World War II that no-surrender character was embodied well in a young Californian who had a very adventurous spirit at an early age.

 

Col. Peter J. Ortiz, USMC

 

The United State Marines and The Office of Strategic Services

 

There are numerous detailed accounts of the background and exploits of Ortiz in various publications; I will list those of which I am aware at the end of this article. He had been born in New York City and educated in France where he left school before graduation to join the Legion. He was said to be the youngest sergeant in the history of the French Foreign Legion. He was wounded in action between the Legion and Germans in 1940, then imprisoned in a concentration camp in Austria.

 

 

After escaping, making his way to the U.S. and joining the Marine Corps in June 1942, he was commissioned in August 1942, commissioned a captain in the Marine Corps Reseve in December 1942, and assigned to North Africa as an assistant naval attache where he organized a patrol of Arab tribesmen to scout German forces on the Tunisian front. He was asigned to the OSS after recovering from wounds suffered in Tunisia.

 

Captain Ortiz had reported back to HQMC in April of 1943, and the following month joined the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), a secretive organization and predecessor to the CIA. He was a graduate of both the Legion’s and Marine Corps’ parachute schools. Having lived in France he was fluent in that language; he also spoke nine other languages and was fluent in five. He parachuted into France on January 6, 1944, assigned to help organize and lead elements of the French underground forces known as the “Marquis.”

 

The Leatherneck magazine of January 1991, indicates that:

 

In the course of his duties he began frequenting a nightclub in Lyons that catered to German officers. This enabled Ortiz to gain much information regarding German activities in the area, which he turned to good use against the Germans. This Marine had worn his Marine uniform when leading Marquis groups in raids. To have an Allied officer leading them bolstered their morale immensely, especially when the uniform bore such impressive decorations.

 

“One night, while Ortiz sat with the German officers at the club in Lyons, an enemy soldier damned President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He then damned the United States of America. And then, for whatever reason, he damned the United States Marine Corps (Ortiz later wrote that he “could not, for the life of me, figure why a German officer would so dislike American Marines when, chances were, he’d never met one.”)

 

Perhaps Ortiz was bored. Perhaps he… he excused himself from the table and returned to his apartment where… changed into the uniform of a U.S. Marine… he then shrugged into a raincoat and returned to the club… he ordered a round of drinks… refreshments were served… removed his raincoat and stood brandishing his pistol.

 

“A toast, he said, beaming, resplendent in full greens and decorations, “to the President of the United States!” As the pistol moved from German officer to German officer, they emptied their glasses.

 

He ordered another round of drinks and then offered a toast to the United States Marine Corps!

 

After the Germans had drained their glasses, the Marine backed out, pistol levelled at his astonished hosts. He disappeared into the rainy, black night.

 

…The train approached. The explosive device was detonated… the Marqis opened up… Grenades were tossed. Ortiz waited for the firing to subside, then stood in full view in his Marine Corps uniform and ordered the Marquis to withdraw… leaving 47 Germans dead and many others wounded. Not a Marquis was lost.

 

His adventures were numerous…”

 

–Leatherneck, January 1991

 

After the war, Colonel Ortiz worked with director John Ford, a former member of the OSS himself. Two movies were produced depicting the exploits of Ortiz. They were, “13 Rue Madeleine,” with James Cagney, etc., and “Operation Secret,” with Cornel Wilde, etc.

 

Ortiz also had small parts in such films as, “The Outcast,” “Wings of Eagles,” and “Rio Grande.” He also played the part of Major Knott in the film, “Retreat Hell,” a movie about the Marines at the Chosin Resevoir in 1950.

 

Marine Colonel Peter Ortiz was laid to rest at Arlington National cemetery on May 23, 1988. Prior to burial, the procession was led by the Marine Band in full dress, playing hymns - then a Marine rifle company in full dress, with fixed bayonets - six white horses pulling a caisson with the flag draped coffin and the beautiful black riderless horse with the reversed boot.

 

citations here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_J._Ortiz

 

behind the lines in Southern France: http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/USMC-...USMC-OSS-9.html

[USMCRECON]

Ortiz' ribbons

 

[ItemCo16527]

Wow, that's the first modern photo I've ever seen of Col. Ortiz's uniform and ribbons. Don't tell me that's in your collection :w00t:

 

What's the orange ribbon on the bottom right?

[USMCRECON]

Wow, that's the first modern photo I've ever seen of Col. Ortiz's uniform and ribbons. Don't tell me that's in your collection :w00t:

 

What's the orange ribbon on the bottom right?

 

Yes it is. I've had these for over 10 years (maybe 15). I don;t have a truckload of very significant named items but do have a couple decent items. The orange ribbon is for the Moroccan Ouissam Alouite that he was awarded while fighting with the French Foreigh Legion against the Germans. The ribbons are top-bottom, L-R:

 

Navy Cross, LOM w/V

Purple Heart w. gold star, WW-I Victory

EAME, Legion of Honor

Medaille Militaire, Croix de Theater Extereur, Croix de Guerre

Croix de Combat (I think), Forgot the name, like a Campaign medal with Maroc bar, Medaille des Evades

Medaille de Blesse (for wounds in combat), British OBE Mil, Moroccan Ouissam Alouite Chevalier grade

[4STARCHRIS]

That really is a great ribbon bar set on that USMC uniform.

4stachris

[ItemCo16527]

Yes it is. I've had these for over 10 years (maybe 15). I don;t have a truckload of very significant named items but do have a couple decent items. The orange ribbon is for the Moroccan Ouissam Alouite that he was awarded while fighting with the French Foreigh Legion against the Germans. The ribbons are top-bottom, L-R:

 

Navy Cross, LOM w/V

Purple Heart w. gold star, WW-I Victory

EAME, Legion of Honor

Medaille Militaire, Croix de Theater Extereur, Croix de Guerre

Croix de Combat (I think), Forgot the name, like a Campaign medal with Maroc bar, Medaille des Evades

Medaille de Blesse (for wounds in combat), British OBE Mil, Moroccan Ouissam Alouite Chevalier grade

Very, very cool. Thanks for sharing this with us

[Dave]

Yes it is. I've had these for over 10 years (maybe 15). I don;t have a truckload of very significant named items but do have a couple decent items. The orange ribbon is for the Moroccan Ouissam Alouite that he was awarded while fighting with the French Foreigh Legion against the Germans. The ribbons are top-bottom, L-R:

 

Could you start a thread with pics of his uniform? I, for one, would LOVE to see it!

 

Dave

[MPage]

As an aside, when Almond was getting ready to depart in his helo, Faith asked him to take a couple of the most seriously wounded with him but Almond declined; he didn't have time to stop at the aid stations at either Hagaru-ri or Koto-ri. In the end, there are Generals and then there are GENERALS. Almond and MacArthur were Generals. Those like Patton, Bradley, O. P. Smith, Puller, Gray, etc. were GENERALS!

 

 

 

I'm acquainted with that story but I'd never heard the part about Almond refusing to take wounded with him.

 

Alexander Haig was Almond's aide and I believe he was present there; when Al Haig died, I noticed that some of his obits said that he received two Silver Stars and a Bronze Star for valor, while he was in Korea. He was Amond's aide at that time. I'm not knocking his service, but I'd imagine that's how he got those.

[MPage]

BG John C. Meyer

 

 

 

 

General John C. Meyer is the commander in chief of the Strategic Air Command and director of the Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. SAC is the nation's major nuclear deterrent force with bombers, tankers and reconnaissance aircraft and intercontinental ballistic missiles. The Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff coordinates the nation's nuclear war plans and develops the Single Integrated Operations Plan.

 

General Meyer, born in Brooklyn, N.Y., attended schools in New York and graduated from Dartmouth College with a bachelor of arts degree in political geography. He enlisted in the Air Corps in November 1939. In July 1940 he was commissioned a second lieutenant and awarded pilot wings.

 

After several flying assignments as a pilot and commander, he was assigned to the Eighth Air Force in England. There he commanded the 487th Fighter Squadron and led it into combat during World War II. In November 1944 he was deputy commander of the 352d Fighter Group and the leading American Ace in Europe (37 1/2 aircraft destroyed in the air or on the ground). By the end of the war he had flown 200 combat missions with 462 combat flying hours.

 

In 1948 General Meyer was selected as the Secretary of the Air Force's principal point of contact with the U.S. House of Representatives. General Meyer then returned to a tactical flying unit in August 1950 when he assumed command of the 4th Fighter Group at New Castle, Del. He took his F-86 Sabrejet group to Korea where it flew in the First United Nations Counteroffensive and Chinese Communist Forces Spring Offensive campaigns. He destroyed two communist Mig-15 aircraft, bringing his total of enemy aircraft destroyed to 39 1/2.

 

After a tour of duty as Director of Operations for Air Defense Command and Continental Air Defense Command, General Meyer graduated from the Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., in June 1956, and was retained as an instructor at the college. He was then assigned to Strategic Air Command where he commanded two air divisions in the Northeast United States. In July 1962 he moved to the headquarters of SAC at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., as the deputy director of plans, and also served as the commander in chief Strategic Air Command's representative to the Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff.

 

In November 1963 General Meyer became the commander of the Tactical Air Command's Twelfth Air Force with headquarters at Waco, Texas. Twelfth Air Force provided tactical air units for joint logistic and close air support training with Army ground units stationed in the western half of the United States.

 

In February 1966 he was assigned to the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff where he served first as deputy director and then vice director of the Joint Staff. In May 1967 he became the director of operations on the Joint Staff.

 

He was then selected to be the vice chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force, and assumed those duties in August 1969. He served as the vice chief of staff through April 1972. On May 1, 1972, he became the seventh commander in chief of the Strategic Air Command, and the director of the Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff.

 

General Meyer's military career has included a very broad variety of Air Force and joint assignments. He has held operational jobs in air defense interceptors, tactical fighters and strategic bombers. He has also been a key member of the Joint Staff, the Headquarters U.S. Air Force staff, and the Strategic Air Command staff. He has been called upon to command major tactical and strategic units, and is now the commander in chief of the Strategic Air Command.

 

His military decorations include the Distinguished Service Cross with two oak leaf clusters, Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Silver Star with oak leaf cluster, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with six oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with 14 oak leaf clusters, Croix de Guerre with palm (France), and Croix de Guerre with palm (Belgium). In March 1973 be received the Frank Hawks Memorial Award for his many contributions to aviation.

http://www.af.mil/information/bios/bio.asp?bioID=6457

[4STARCHRIS]

Thanks for the post. I forgot about this one.

4starchris

[MPage]

MG Frank O. Hunter, DSC with four oak leaves: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_O%27Driscoll_Hunter

 

 

 

BG John T. Corley, DSC with oak leaf. Interestingly, his Silver Star had seven OLCs: http://www.veterantributes.org/TributeDetail.asp?ID=160

 

Gen. William E. DePuy, DSC with oak leaf: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_E._DePuy

 

Gen. John R. Deane, Jr., DSC with oak leaf: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_R._Deane,_Jr.

 

 

Deane

[MPage]

Gen. Creighton Abrams:

 

Gen. Barry McCaffrey

 

[USMCRECON]

Could you start a thread with pics of his uniform? I, for one, would LOVE to see it!

 

Dave

This is the only picture I had loaded on the computer at the moment. The uniform is in a cedar chest in my storage locker. If I get over the this weekend, I'll bring it home and photograph it.

[4STARCHRIS]

Gen. Creighton Abrams:

 

Gen. Barry McCaffrey

 

MPage,

Where did you get the Abrams photo from? This is the uniform I have in my collection. Don't think I ever seen a pick of him wearing the actual uniform.Thanks for all the postings.

4starchris

[4STARCHRIS]

 

Triple DSC recipient.

Only soldier in history to receive three DSC at one time.

4starchris

[MPage]

BG Charles Billingslea, once CO of the 325 GIR:

 

[Dave]

BG Charles Billingslea, once CO of the 325 GIR:

 

Forgot about Billingslea...if anyone currently owns his uniforms, those would be good for pics. If not, I've got pics of when I owned them and can post them up.

 

Dave