multiple dsc recipients photo

[Dave]

Here's one of Billingslea's uniforms that I formerly owned...someone added some "frosting" to it at one point though...

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...showtopic=57364

[MPage]

Some more photos - http://sparkyasundevil.tripod.com/id4.html

 

In those pics the fourragere is incorrectly under the arm, but I'm quibbling.

[Dave]

:ermm:

In those pics the fourragere is incorrectly under the arm, but I'm quibbling.

 

Quibble away...when I sold the jacket it didn't have the fourragere(s) on it (or the infantry crossed rifles)

 

Dave

[4STARCHRIS]

Thanks for the great pics guys.

However, Interesting enough I have now seen almost 3-4 version of his uniform. I saw one on wyoming in a museum.

keep them coming.

4starchris

[4STARCHRIS]

 

Colonel Champeny triple DSC recipient.

[Ricardo]

2 DSC, no?

 

[Ricardo]

George Smith Patton, Jr.

 

 

Distinguished Service Cross (2)

Distinguished Service Medal (3)

Silver Star (2)

Legion of Merit

Bronze Star

Purple Heart

...

[KySoldier]

 

Triple DSC recipient.

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

4starchris

 

 

Who is this brave soldier?? Audie Murphy II ??? What information can you tell us about him? Thanks !!!! :w00t:

[4STARCHRIS]

Who is this brave soldier?? Audie Murphy II ??? What information can you tell us about him? Thanks !!!! :w00t:

 

 

You can read about him here.

Thanks for your interest.

4starchris

 

http://www.cprofota.com/photos.html

[3mxd]

I wanted to add one of the not so well known multiple-DSC recipients, certainly less famous than many of the gentlemen in the previous posts. Robert Leroy Nesbit was born in SC in 1896, but was living in southern Illinois in June 1916 when he enlisted in Co K, 4th Illinois Infantry just before they left for their Mexican border service at Fort Sam Houston, TX. He was mustered out as a private in March 1917 and returned to his civilian occupation as a yard clerk for the Illinois Central RR. The unit was federalized in August and Nesbit with it. He was promoted sergeant in Co K, 130th Infantry. 33rd Division. He must have shown promise, he was commissioned in November. At some point he transferred to Co F and it was with this unit he would earn his DSC w/OLC.

 

Both awards were very late, 1934, but the events which merited them were only five days apart! The first award was for leading a successful daylight patrol of seven men into the German lines near Marcheville on 6 November 1918. The information the patrol returned with was useful but it was a vicious encounter with the enemy on its return which also earned one of the patrol members, Sgt John E. Daughty (the name is shown as "Daugherty" in the original patrol report), a DSC in 1919. Nesbit's second was for gallantly leading his platoon in the first wave of a raid on the town of Marchville itself on 10 November. His company commander, CPT Fred Givens, received a DSC in 1919 for his part. For whatever reason, Nesbit would not receive his until 16 years later.

 

Nesbit must have decided he wanted to make a career of it because he transferred to the 28th Infantry, 1st Division, after the Armistice and returned to the States with them in August after occupation duty. He integrated into RA in 1920 and began the slow process of a peactime Army career. His service records no longer exist but by using the Officer Directories his assignments can be reconstructed. In addition to Camp Zachary Taylor with 28th, he would serve at Fort Wayne, MI, the Canal Zone and Schofield Barracks, HI. He was teaching ROTC at the University of West Virginia when the administrative wheels of the Army finally produced his DSC w/OLC in WD GO #8, 1934.

 

He was promoted major in 1939 and the following year attended C&GSS at Fort Leavenworth where this, the only photo I have of him, was taken. I apologize for the quality, it was blown up from his class photo.

 

 

The ribbon bar from left to right consists of DSC w/OLC, MBSM, VM with 3 stars. The Expert marksmanship badge has clasps for pistol, rifle and MG. He would have been wearing the DUI and branch collar brass for the 35th Infantry and the SSI for the Hawaiian Division (24th) which he had just left. If he does not look well it is because he suffered from arterioclerosis. After graduation, he was assigned to Fort Sam Houston and he was medically retired on 31 December 1940. He bought a house not far from the back gate of Brooke General Hospital. Despite his condition he was recalled to active duty in November of 1941, promoted LTC AUS 31 October 1942 and COL AUS in February 1944. Evidently he never served overseas probably because of his physical condition. He was retired on disability again in September 1944, died of a massive stroke at Brooke General on 29 March 1946 and was buried at Arlington the following month. He was survived by his mother and two sons and a brother, a doctor living on Long Island, NY. Although he was not the only double-DSC winner from WW I, he was among the very small number who were not aviators.

[4STARCHRIS]

3mxd,

Thank you for this great history on this little known individual. He sound alot like MSG LLewellyn CHilson. Triple DSC recipient and you mention his name and they say who?

Thanks for the great post and participation in the thread.

4starchris

[MPage]

Ed Wozenski, WWII hero and one of the first people on the beach at Normandy (two DSCs)

 

 

 

http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:8MMEj...lient=firefox-a

[4STARCHRIS]

 

Here is a great picture of general Hobart Gay, double DSC recipient. Sorry for watermarks but my photos are ending up other places.

In the original photo he is in his dress blue uniform all the way down to his waist.

Enjoy

4starchris

[bobgee]

:ermm:

 

Quibble away...when I sold the jacket it didn't have the fourragere(s) on it (or the infantry crossed rifles)

 

Dave

 

General Officers typically don't wear Branch of Service insignia on their uniforms so the present owner needs to brush up on his regs! Nice uniform, Dave!

Bobgee

[bobgee]

 

Col. William T. Whisner USAF, a triple-DSC recipient for WWII and Korea.

 

He is officially credited with 21 aerial victories; 15 1/2 in WWII and 5 1/2 in Korea. He is one of only seven airmen to achieve Ace status in both wars.

 

Born in Louisiana in October 1923, he entered the USAAF in March 1942 and earned his wings in March 1943 at age 19.

 

He flew 127 combat missions in 456 combat hours in both the P-47 and P-51.

 

While flying with the 352nd Fighter Group , He received his first DSC for the the destruction of 6 enemy aircraft and the the probable destruction of a 7th on 21November 1944 in a huge fight near Merseburg, Germany. He received his 2nd DSC for the destruction of 4 enemy aircraft on 1 Jan 1945 at Asch, Belgium after his P-51 was severely damaged. In his early days in England, he flew as the wingman of Capt. George Preddy.

 

He served in Korea in 1951 and received his 3rd DSC in Korea while commanding the 334th FS, 4th FG and the 25th FS, 51st FG, flying the F-86A and destroying 5 1/2 Mig-15s becoming one of the first jet-age Aces.

 

In 1953 after his return from Korea he won the prestigious Bendix Trophy Race piloting an F-86F.

 

He served in Vietnam in 1963-64 as Dep Dir opns 2nd AirDiv.

 

He had many other significant assignments including exchange duties in England as well as the C.O. of many units.

 

His decorations include the DSC with 2 OLCs, the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, the DFC with 2 OLCs, the Bronze Star, the Air Medal with 12 OLCs and the Air Force Commendation medal with 1 OLC.

 

Col. Whisner retired from the USAF in 1970. He died in 1989.

[4STARCHRIS]

Thanks for the great pic Bob. Didn't even think of him.

We been able to get quite a few pic posted here.

Thanks for the participation.

4starchris

[4STARCHRIS]

Mpage.

This is the pic you posted. Do you have any idea where it came from. I have his uniform with this ribbon bar presentation and I have never seen it in a pic.

Thanks

4starchris

[4STARCHRIS]

These are the ribbons on the uniform I have. Interesting enough your pic also shows the Czech War Cross ribbon next to his British DSO. However, I cant find why he was awarded it anywhere?

Also of note is that the France Croix de Guerre has a bronze and silver palm on top of it. This is another first.

4starchris

[4STARCHRIS]

 

Who can forget General George Kenney, Double DSC recipient. This is the ribbon bar off the uniform at the Wright-Patterson AFB Museum in Ohio.

4starchris

[Ricardo]

[Ricardo]

EDDIE RICKENBACKER

 

[Ricardo]

Robert T. Frederick

 

 

From: firstspecialserviceforce.net/RTFrederick.html

[3mxd]

Another double-DSC winner, Cecil Brainerd Whitcomb. He was among the small group (only about twelve others) who won a DSC in both World Wars. This is what he looked like in 1947 after his promotion to federally recognized BG as Assistant CG, 37th Infantry Division.

 

 

He was born in NY in 1899. Enlisted in Co H, 5th Ohio Infantry April 1917. The unit was called up in July and renumbered the 145th Infantry Regiment, 37th Division. He was assigned throughout the war to the regimental Intelligence Section (Whitcomb referred to it as the Scout Platoon), Headquarters Company. The first DSC was a late award, 1923, for singlehandedly capturing a German MG crew and officer on the first day of the Meuse-Argonne offensive, 26 September 1918. He forced the officer to bring in several other MG crews whom he took prisoner and returned them to US lines. He was also cited for gallantry (SSM in 1933) and wounded slightly on 27 September (PH in 1932). He was discharged a sergeant in May 1919.

 

He had a break in service until 1921 when he reenlisted in the 145th and was commissioned the following year. He was promoted through the ranks and eventually assumed command of the 1st Battalion (based in his hometown of Cleveland) sometime in the latter '30s. Here is how he is in the OH NG year book in 1938.

 

 

Note that he is wearing his three-bar VM and French Verdun medal above his DSC, SSM and PH. Although incorrect it was not uncommon to see photos of NG officers wearing their medals or ribbons in a variety of ways. This the only photo I have of him wearing his medals. In most photos, he doesn't even wear ribbon bars.

 

He continued to command the 1-145th after it was federalized in 1940 and only relinquished command when he was promoted to LTC in 1941 and became the regimental XO. He arrived with the 37th Division on Guadalcanal in April 1943 and landed on New Georgia in July (LOM and BSM). He assumed command of the regiment there in September. He was promoted to COL two months later. From there he and his regiment went on to the bitter campaign on Bougainville. The 145th left that island in December 1944 and, after practicing amphibious assaults on New Guinea, participated in the landing in Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, in January 1945. He was wounded for the second time on 11 February (OLC to his PH). His second DSC was awarded for heroic leadership during the battle of Manila culminating in the capture of the Intramuros (the 145th was the first across the Pasig River and the first to break into the fortress). The regiment was attacking with the 6th Infantry Division (to which it was attached) when he received his ticket home in May 1945. Considering the amount of time he had been in the service, the amount of time overseas and his awards, he must have maxed the amount of points necessary to return to CONUS.

 

He spent the next several months in the Planning Section of the Army Ground Forces staff in Washington, DC (CR). He went on terminal leave in January 1946 and was formally discharged in April when his leave ran out. He stayed in the Guard, was promoted to BG in 1947 as noted above, and retired in that grade in 1951.

 

Between the wars he was the secretary of the Cleveland Stock Exchange. After the war he worked for a number of financial institutions. He died in 1971 and was buried in Arlington, only about ten yards from the Kennedy grave site. Here is his tablet.

 

 

For some reason the CR is not listed on the marker. My guess is that, given all his other awards, the carver ran out of room.

[MPage]

Mpage.

This is the pic you posted. Do you have any idea where it came from.

 

I don't recall where but here's the same photo: http://www.vietnamgear.com/bio/4.aspx

[4STARCHRIS]

I don't recall where but here's the same photo: http://www.vietnamgear.com/bio/4.aspx

Thanks. My quest goes on.

4starchris