Silver Star/OLC, Purple Heart Grouping to Major Earl Barlow Hochwalt including Battle Damaged C96 Mauser Pistol found during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive

[kanemono]

Here is a grouping to Major Earl Barlow Hochwalt who served with the First Division during WW1 and who was awarded two Silver Stars and a Purple Heart.

Earl Barlow Hochwalt was born in Ohio on January 4, 1888. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1912 and was promoted to Second Lieutenant. Hochwalt immediately transferred from the Infantry to the Coast Artillery Corps.  After several years spent mainly on the East Coast, he transferred to the 7th Field Artillery in 1917. The Division was sent to France in August of 1917. Hochwalt served as a 1st Lieutenant with Battery B, 7th Field Artillery, First Division in France until October 11, 1918, when, during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive near d'Ariental Farm, France, he was severely wounded in action. After spending two years convalescing in various hospitals he became the only member of the Class of 1912 to be retired for wounds received in action. Although he had earned two Silver Star citations and the Purple Heart, while holding the temporary rank of Lieutenant Colonel, he was returned to the rank of Major upon being retired; he again became a Lieutenant Colonel in 1930. He saw no further active service except for a brief period with the ROTC in 1941. Hochwalt died suddenly on April 20, 1956 from a condition brought about by his old wounds. Lieutenant Colonel Hochwalt’s Silver Star citation l reads as follows:

 

General Orders No. 73 1/2, HQ 1st Division, 25 Sept 1919. The Division Commander cites the following Officers and men for the performance of duty under the most difficult and hazardous circumstances:
Major Earl B. Hochwalt, 7th Field Artillery, "On October 6th, 1918, near d'Ariental Farm, France, voluntarily made a reconnaissance to locate advance battery positions for his regiment. Although exposed to heavy shell fire he continued his reconnaissance and was severely wounded.

 General Orders No. 1, HQ 1st Division, 1 Jan 1920.
The Division Commander cites the following offices and soldiers for gallantry in action and especially meritorious services:
#14. Major Earl B. Hochwald, 7th F.A.,
#9388. Hochwald, Earl B. Maj. 7th FA.
 

“Officers of B Battery” (in July 1917, he was a 1st Lieutenant with Battery B, 7th F.A.), from the unit history, History of the Seventh Field Artillery (First Division, A.E.F.), World War 1917-1919.  The text does not identify the officers, however.  Hochwalt is listed at the end of this book under “Officers and Men . . . Cited . . . for Gallantry in Action”: “Hochwalt, Earl B.  Maj”.

The WW1 military marked C96 Mauser Pistol was brought home by Hochwalt from the the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. There is a brass plate in the leather follower spring compartment that says the pistol was found by Hochwalt during the offensive. The pistol's left grip has been damaged possibly by a bullet or piece of shrapnel. The leather is marked but the period stock is unmarked.

In the WW1 photo Hochwalt is on the right.

[dhcoleterracina]

Fantastic grouping. 

[GIKyle]

Wow! Great write up and fantastic artifacts.

 

Kyle

[katieony]

A really nice, historic group!  Thank you for sharing it!

 

Mike

[1st Sgt CES]

Great Medals !   Really nice pistal

[Backtheattack]

What a great historical grouping!

[manayunkman]

This group takes you there.

 

Excellent 

[kanemono]

bertmedals

 

Member

960

Location: Strongsville, Ohio

#10  

Posted March 14

Exceptional group and story.  I was able to walk some of that ground in September and October 2018. I'll look through the photos I took and see if any are relevant.

 

This is his memorial article with the West Point Association of Graduates.  It seems he was a collector, too!

 

Dennis

 

Earl B. Hochwalt  1912
Cullum No. 5104-1912 | April 20, 1956 | Died in Port Angeles, Washington
Interment not reported to WPAOG

 

Earl Baruiw Hochwalt was born in Ohio on January 4, 1888. He came from a family which has made distinguished contributions to the field of modern technology. It was predicted in 1910, while he was a cadet, that he would join the Coast Artillery, which he did by transferring from the Infantry immediately after graduating from the Military Academy. After several years spent mainly on our East Coast, he transferred to the Field Artillery in 1917, and by August of that year he was in France.

In the Meuse-Argonne battle on October 11, 1918, he was severely wounded, and after spending two years convalescing in various hospitals he became the only member of 1912 to be retired for wounds received in action. Although he had earned two Silver Star citations and the Purple Heart, while holding the temporary rank of Lieutenant Colonel, he was returned to the rank of Major upon being retired; he again became a Lieutenant Colonel in 1930. He saw no further active service except for a brief period with the ROTC in 1941.

After retirement Earl spent several years traveling in Europe, where he met Mary C. Peckham of New York, whom he married in December 1923. Some time thereafter they moved to Edmonds, Washington, where he resided until his death. In spite of being very crippled in his left arm as a result of his wounds, his great strength enabled him to remain an expert shot with both rifle and shotgun. So well did he teach his wife to shoot that she won innumerable trophies and became National Women’s 20 gauge Skeet Champion in 1939. Together they ranged the West Coast for years, with shotguns in the trunk of their car. They always carried a fine dog and stopped at every opportunity to gather more game, prizes and trophies. Between times they hunted in Canada and the United States, in pursuit of birds and big game.

Even as a Second Lieutenant Earl liked to barter for fine guns and cameras and other worthwhile items, and he rarely missed an opportunity to acquire a good specimen. He never lost his passion for collecting which was shared by Mary, and they accumulated a considerable number of old prints, and large amounts of antique furniture. He became a skilled craftsman and spent many hours expertly restoring old clocks and furniture. In the pursuit of their hobbies he and Mary attended many auctions and their home was filled with unusual possessions, from which he could never bear to part.

Earl died suddenly on April 20, 1956, while on a trip to the Olympic Peninsula on his beloved Puget Sound, of a condition probably brought about by his old wounds. He had made a considerable sacrifice for his country while he was still a young man, and we are happy that he was able to spend the rest of his life with a loving and congenial wife in the way that pleased him most. 

Thanks Dennis