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Unattributed DSC #6446 - possible ID


pchepurko
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I was looking at a an unattributed grouping which included a Navy Cross , DSC and WWI Victory. The DSC is numbered 6446. Is it possible to attribute the DSC?

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The group included a Navy Cross and a WWI Victory medal. It was for a WWI Marine. Does anyone know how many WWI Marines received the Navy Crpss and DSC?

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From the Home of Heroes website... https://homeofheroes.com/distinguished-service-cross/world-war-i/navy-cross/

 

World War I - Navy Cross

There are over 1,800 recipients of the Navy Cross which was awarded for exemplary and heroic service during World War I.

Breakout by Branch of Service

Navy - 1,299

Marine Corps - 392

Coast Guard - 36

Army - 12

Foreign Nationals - 100

Interesting Facts

A total of 1,298 Navy Crosses were Awarded to members of the US Navy for heroism or distinguished service during World War I including:

    5 Navy Chaplains (One of whom also received the Distinguished Service Cross)

  61 Navy Corpsmen

120 Naval Aviators

    1 Navy Nurse (The first woman to earn the Navy Cross)

17 Navy Cross recipients also received the Distinguished Service Cross

  1 Man earned TWO Navy Crosses in World War I

  1 WWI Navy Cross recipient earned a Gold Star in Nicaragua

  5 WWI recipients earned Gold Stars in World War II

One of these multiple recipients earned TWO in World War II

  8 Men who had previously earned Medals of Honor earned the Navy Cross in World War I (including two time Medal Of Honor recipient John McCloy.)

 

Allan

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That highlighted number (17) above does not indicate the number of Marines who received both the NC and DSC only Navy personnel. If I was a betting man, I would say nearly everyone of those 17 were Corpsman. The majority of Marines who received the DSC in WWI later received the Navy Cross for the same action (the Navy Cross was instituted after WWI, 1919 if I recall correctly, and filled the void the Navy and Marines had for a Valor medal below the MoH). I think the Navy just couldn’t live with the fact that some of their personnel received an Army medal for valor in WWI (the DSC), and decided to issue the new Navy Cross to those who had received the DSC in WWI. I know there were some Navy Crosses later awarded well after WWI after a review of an action deemed it was warranted, so the totals for the NC Marines should be slightly higher than those awarded both DSC and NC (if that makes sense). Take for example John W. Thomason Jr., who was a Captain with the 49th, 5th Marines. He wrote a lot after the war about the coveted DSC received by Marines in France, to the point I think he was a bit envious of those who had received it. A review of the capture of a German machine gun emplacement Thomason led was held many years after WWI and he was subsequently awarded the Navy Cross for that action, (but not the DSC, as the NC once is essentially the same award for the Navy and Marines). Long and short of it, I think you can count on something north of probably 350 and under the 392 mark (for Marines. only awarded the NC)  if you are wanting a number or the Marines (minus Corpsman) awarded BOTH the DSC and NC in WWI. AAF in the 17 Navy personnel (probably Corpsman) if you want a complete count. 

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I checked my copy of “Decorated Marines of the Fourth Brigade WWI”, by Clark. While he has an excellent breakdown of the awards earned by each Marine and Corpsman, I cannot find that he tallied them all so reference doesn’t provide the total numbers. This reference is a must though if you have any additional clues at all, like whether the Marine was cited (later this citation became the Silver Star) or received the CdG with star of palm, etc. The book breaks down all of these awards by name and categorizes them into the fifth Marines, sixth Marines or 6MGB and medical personnel. If you had any additional awards other than NC and DSC, you could by process of elimination reduce our number drastically with the information provided in this book. DSC and NC groupings to a WWI Marine are so rare, that the energy spent researching and hopefully someday gaining a name will be time well spent!

 

I dont know if the DSC medals by number were issued sequentially during WWI. I have a well researched DSC NC Marine grouping in my collection and the deal is numbered 1630. The citation is dated December 8, 1918 and the medal was awarded for action at Blanc Mont on October 4, 1918. Since you medal is numbered some 4800 after that, I dont know if that indicates award for action after a Blanc Mont or not. Someone out there with more expertise on the DSC numbering system will hopefully chime in. It would be interesting to see these medals, especially the NC. All NC issued to Marines who had received the DSC in WWI should be early type I medals, (ie thin white stripe ion ribbon, BBB manufactured, three piece construction, etc). 

Good luck. 

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Thank you all. I will try to get a photo of the group which hangs on the wall at the Globe and Laural restaurant in Quantico, VA. 

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