| Distinguished Service Cross | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Service cross medal |
| Awarded for | Extraordinary heroism in combat |
| Presented by | United States Department of the Army[1] |
| Eligibility | United States Army soldiers |
| Status | Currently awarded |
| First award | 18 March 1918[2] |
| Total | 13,462[3] |
   Service Ribbon (above) Obverse of the original cross & Reverse of current cross (below) | |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Medal of Honor |
| Equivalent |
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| Next (lower) |
|
TheDistinguished Service Cross (DSC) is theUnited States Army's second highestmilitary decoration for soldiers who display extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree that they are above those required for all other U.S. combat decorations, but which do not meet the criteria for theMedal of Honor. The Army Distinguished Service Cross is equivalent to the Naval Services'Navy Cross, the Air and Space Forces'Air Force Cross, and theCoast Guard Cross. Prior to the creation of the Air Force Cross in 1960, airmen were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
The Distinguished Service Cross was first awarded duringWorld War I. In addition, a number of awards were bestowed for actions which took place before World War I. In many cases, the medal was awarded to soldiers who had received aCertificate of Merit for gallantry; at the time, this certificate was the only other honor for gallantry the Army could present to combatants in lieu of a Medal of Honor. Others were furnished in belated recognition of actions which occurred in thePhilippine–American War, during theBoxer Rebellion, andPancho Villa Expedition.
The Distinguished Service Cross is distinct from theDistinguished Service Medal, which is awarded to Army soldiers in recognition of exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in a duty of great responsibility. The Distinguished Service Cross is only awarded for actions in combat, while the Distinguished Service Medal has no such restriction.
A cross ofbronze, 2 inches (5.1 cm) high and1+13⁄16 inches (46 mm) wide with an eagle on the center and a scroll below the eagle bearing the inscription "FOR VALOR". On the reverse side, the center of the cross is circled by a wreath with a space for engraving the name of the recipient.
Theservice ribbon is1+3⁄8 inches (35 mm) wide and consists of the following stripes:
The Distinguished Service Cross is awarded to a person who, while serving in any capacity with the Army (or in the Air Force, before 1960), distinguishes themselves by extraordinary heroism not justifying the award of a Medal of Honor; while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States; while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing/foreign force; or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. The act or acts of heroism must have been so notable and have involved risk of life so extraordinary as to set the individual apart from their comrades.[5]
The following are authorized components of the Distinguished Service Cross:
Additional awards of the Army Distinguished Service Cross are denoted withoak leaf clusters.
The Distinguished Service Cross was established by PresidentWoodrow Wilson on January 2, 1918. GeneralJohn J. Pershing, commander-in-chief of the expeditionary forces in France, had recommended that recognition other than theMedal of Honor be authorized for theUnited States Army for valorous service rendered in like manner to that awarded by the European armies. The request for the establishment of the medal was forwarded from the secretary of war to the president in a letter dated December 28, 1917. The act of Congress establishing this award (193-65th Congress), dated July 9, 1918, is contained in10 U.S.C. § 3742. The establishment of the Distinguished Service Cross was promulgated in War Department General Order No. 6, dated January 12, 1918.[6]
The first style of the Distinguished Service Cross was designed by CaptainAymar E. Embury II, Engineers Officer Reserve Corps, andWorld War I artist LieutenantJ. Andre Smith.[6][7] The first medals were struck by theUnited States Mint from a sculpture byGaetano Cecere, who went on to design theSoldier's Medal.[7] It was decided that minor changes were needed to make the medal more attractive.[6] In light of the urgency in supplying the decorations to General Pershing, the first one hundred medals were struck from the original design. They were sent on the understanding that replacements in the second design (also numbered from 1 to 100) would be provided once they were available.[6] Embury made the modifications with the plaster model for the second (and current) version made byJohn R. Sinnock, who also sculpted various other medals, including thePurple Heart.[7]
Army Regulation (AR) 670–1, governing the wear and appearance of army uniforms and insignia,[8] and its associated guide[9] specify that the Distinguished Service Cross appears second in the order of precedence of U.S. military decorations, preceded only by the Medal of Honor. Policy for awards, approving authority, supply, and issue of decorations is contained in AR 600-8-22.[10]10 U.S.C. § 3991 provides for a 10% increase in retired pay for enlisted personnel who have been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and retired with more than 20 years of service.
DuringWorld War I, 6,309 awards of the Distinguished Service Cross were made to 6,185 recipients. Several dozen Army soldiers, as well as eight marines and two French Army officers, received two Distinguished Service Crosses. The first awards were made on March 18, 1918, to 3 soldiers of the1st Infantry Division.[2]
A handful of soldiers, mostlyUnited States Army Air Service aviators, earned three or more Distinguished Service Crosses. CaptainEddie Rickenbacker, the top U.S.ace of the war, was awarded a record eight Distinguished Service Crosses, one of which was later upgraded to the Medal of Honor, while flying with the94th Aero Squadron. Fellow aviators CaptainDouglas Campbell, also of the 94th, and First LieutenantFrank O'Driscoll "Monk" Hunter of the103rd Aero Squadron each received five. Another 94th aviator, MajorReed McKinley Chambers, was awarded four Distinguished Service Crosses. Three aviators received three Distinguished Service Crosses – First LieutenantMurray K. Guthrie of the13th Aero Squadron, First LieutenantRalph A. O'Neill of the 147th Aero Squadron, andGlen A. Preston,[11] an aerial observation pilot with the99th Aero Squadron. Among other prominent aviators were Brigadier GeneralBilly Mitchell, the Chief of Air Service of the American Expeditionary Force; Second LieutenantFrank Luke of the 27th Aero Squadron, who was honored with the Medal of Honor and two Distinguished Service Crosses; andSumner Sewall of the 95th Aero Squadron, recipient of two Distinguished Service Crosses, who served asGovernor of Maine from 1941 to 1945.Edward Peck Curtis, also of the95th Aero Squadron received the Distinguished Service Cross as a first lieutenant.
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ColonelJohn H. Parker, the commander of the 102nd Infantry Regiment,26th Division, was the only ground soldier in World War I to receive four Distinguished Service Crosses. First LieutenantOscar B. Nelson of the 168th Infantry Regiment,42nd Division, was honored three times, the third award being posthumous.[12]
Several men who had previously received the Medal of Honor received the Distinguished Service Cross in World War I. Most notable of these was Marine Corps legend, Sergeant MajorDaniel Daly, who was twice decorated with the Medal of Honor, and who received the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism as First Sergeant of the 73rd Company, Sixth Marine Regiment, during theBattle of Belleau Wood in June 1918. ColonelCharles E. Kilbourne, who received the Medal of Honor in thePhilippine Insurrection, was decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross as chief of staff of the89th Division. First LieutenantJames B. McConnell, also decorated with the Medal of Honor for actions in the Philippines as a private with the 33rd Infantry, received the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously as a first lieutenant with the 4th Infantry Regiment,3rd Division.
Marine Corps ColonelHiram I. Bearss, recipient of the Medal of Honor in the Philippines, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross while attached to the 102nd Infantry Regiment,26th Division. Marine GunnerHenry L. Hulbert, also a recipient of the Navy Medal of Honor in the Philippines, received the Distinguished Service Cross for bravery while serving with the5th Marine Regiment during theBattle of Belleau Wood.Spanish–American War Medal of Honor recipientJohn H. Quick also received the Distinguished Service Cross at Belleau Wood as Sergeant Major of the Sixth Marine Regiment.
Besides Rickenbacker, several men received both the Medal of Honor and the Distinguished Service Cross during World War I. Navy recipients wereJohn Henry Balch, a U.S. Navy Pharmacist's Mate, andJoel T. Boone, a U.S. Navy Lieutenant (Medical Corps), both attached to the Sixth Marine Regiment. Army recipients were PrivateDaniel R. Edwards of the 3rd Machine-Gun Battalion,1st Division, ColonelWilliam J. "Wild Bill" Donovan of the 165th Infantry Regiment,42nd Division, and Second LieutenantSamuel I. Parker of the 28th Infantry Regiment, 1st Division.
Two recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross during World War I went on to earn the Medal of Honor in World War II – Major (later Brigadier General)Theodore Roosevelt Jr. of the 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Division, son of the former president, and Brigadier General (later General of the Army)Douglas MacArthur of the 42nd Division. Other recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross in World War I who went on to acclaim in World War II includeGeorge S. Patton Jr. andCarl Spaatz.
Among other prominent recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross during World War I were Brigadier GeneralJohn L. Hines, decorated as commanding general of the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, and Major GeneralCharles Pelot Summerall, decorated as commanding general of the 1st Division, who both went on to serve asChief of Staff of the United States Army. PrivateSam Ervin of the 28th Infantry Regiment, 1st Division, went on to serve as a United StatesSenator from the state ofNorth Carolina. MajorDwight F. Davis, decorated as Assistant Chief of Staff of the 69th Infantry Brigade,35th Division, founded theDavis Cup international tennis competition and served asUnited States Secretary of War in the Coolidge Administration.Father John B. DeValles,chaplain (first lieutenant), known as the Angel of the Trenches for administering to the needs of both Allied and German soldiers. He founded the first Portugueseparochial school at the Espirito Santo Church inFall River, Massachusetts.B. Caroll Reece, decorated as a First Lieutenant with the 102nd Infantry Regiment, 26th Division, went on to represent the state of Tennessee in theUnited States House of Representatives for a total of 17 terms. Twenty one African American soldiers from the370th Infantry Regiment received the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) for action in both the Meuse–Argonne and Oise–Aisne campaigns.[13]
In the immediate aftermath of World War I, 62 awards were made for actions inNorth Russia andSiberia during theRussian Civil War. Also, approximately 132 retroactive awards were made for actions in previous conflicts, including theIndian Wars, theSpanish–American War, thePhilippine Insurrection, theBoxer Rebellion, and the Mexican border conflicts. Fifteen soldiers previously awardedCertificates of Merit for non-combat gallantry between 1899 and 1917 were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
Prominent among post-World War I Distinguished Service Cross recipients for acts before that war was GeneralJ. Franklin Bell, Chief of Staff of the Army from 1906 to 1910. A recipient of the Medal of Honor during the Philippine Insurrection, in 1925 he was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross for bravery in theSpanish–American War in 1898. In 1920, GeneralPeyton C. March, then serving as Chief of Staff of the Army, was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross for bravery in the Philippines during the Spanish–American War when he was a 1st lieutenant. March's successor, General of the ArmiesJohn J. Pershing, received a Distinguished Service Cross in 1941 for bravery during the Philippine Insurrection. Second LieutenantGordon Johnston and CorporalArthur M. Ferguson, both Medal of Honor recipients for the Philippine Insurrection, were also awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for other acts of bravery in the Philippines. FutureGovernor of American SamoaOtto Dowling received the cross for displaying bravery while responding to a fire atLake Denmark Powder Depot, which he commanded at the time.[14]
Among the recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross for Siberia and North Russia wereRobert L. Eichelberger, who would earn a second medal in World War II, andSidney C. Graves, who had previously received a Distinguished Service Cross in World War I.[15]
DuringWorld War II, just over 5,000 awards were made.Army Air Forces Lieutenant ColonelJohn C. Meyer, Major GeneralJames A. Van Fleet, and Master SergeantLlewellyn Chilson were three-time recipients.Jeannette Guyot andVirginia Hall were the only two women to receive the award.[16][17]
A number of recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross in earlier conflicts were again honored in World War II.Chester Hirschfelder, who as a captain with the 5th Machine Gun Battalion,2nd Infantry Division, had received his first Distinguished Service Cross in 1918, received two more in 1944 as a colonel commanding the9th Infantry Regiment of that same division.[18] Three recipients of two Distinguished Service Crosses in World War I – Douglas MacArthur,Hanford MacNider andHarry H. Semmes – received their third in World War II. A handful of men who had received the Distinguished Service Cross in World War I received a second in World War II. Among these were George S. Patton Jr., whose second Distinguished Service Cross came as commanding general of theSeventh Army in Sicily, and Fred L. Walker, commander of theU.S. 36th Infantry Division in the breakout from Anzio and advance on Rome. Lieutenant GeneralRobert L. Eichelberger, whose first Distinguished Service Cross was awarded for valor inSiberia in 1919, received a second for valor in New Guinea in the Buna campaign of 1942–43.
A little over fifty soldiers (and one sailor) received two Distinguished Service Crosses in World War II. The sailor wasJohn D. Bulkeley, who also received theMedal of Honor and theNavy Cross and was one of the most highly decorated Americans of World War II. Among Army recipients of two Distinguished Service Crosses wereCreighton W. Abrams Jr., later the Chief of Staff of the Army,William O. Darby, one of the fathers of the U.S. ArmyRangers, andRobert T. Frederick, commander of the U.S-Canadian1st Special Service Force. Six men of the82nd Airborne Division received two Distinguished Service Crosses:Charles Billingslea,[19]James M. Gavin,Arthur F. Gorham,Matthew B. Ridgway,Reuben Henry Tucker III andBenjamin H. Vandervoort. Several fighter pilots also received two Distinguished Service Crosses, includingDonald Blakeslee,Paul P. Douglas Jr.,William E. Dyess,Dominic "Don" Gentile,Gerald R. Johnson,Charles "Mac" MacDonald,James B. Morehead,Jay T. "Cock" Robbins,David C. Schilling,Jesús A. Villamor,William T. Whisner Jr. andRay S. Wetmore. Bomber pilotRichard H. Carmichael also received two Distinguished Service Crosses.
The commander ofEasy Company of the506th Parachute Infantry Regiment,U.S. 101st Airborne Division,Richard Winters, received a Distinguished Service Cross for his role in the assault onBrecourt Manor onD-Day; a member of the502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment,U.S. 101st Airborne Division,Harrison C. Summers received a Distinguished Service Cross for his role on the assault to capture a building complex nearby designated "WXYZ" on the field order map.
During World War II, twelve soldiers, three airmen, and two sailors received both the Medal of Honor and the Distinguished Service Cross: from the Army,Bernard P. Bell,Maurice L. "Footsie" Britt,Herbert H. Burr,Leonard A. Funk,Gerry H. Kisters,James M. Logan,George L. Mabry Jr.,Douglas MacArthur,Audie L. Murphy,Junior J. Spurrier,Jack L. Treadwell andJonathan M. Wainwright; from the Army Air Forces,Richard I. Bong,Horace S. Carswell Jr. andThomas B. McGuire Jr.; and from the Navy,John D. Bulkeley andSamuel D. Dealey (who also received fourNavy Crosses). One World War II Distinguished Service Cross recipient,Raymond Harvey, would earn the Medal of Honor in the Korean War.[20]
GeneralPaul W. Tibbets, commander of the509th Composite Group (509 CG), was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross byGeneral Spaatz for piloting theEnola Gay, theB-29 Superfortress plane which dropped the first nuclear bomb onHiroshima.[21][22]
In theKorean War, there were just over 800 awards, of which over 300 wereposthumous.
Robert R. Martin, colonel with the24th Infantry Division was a first recipient in the Korean war.[23]
Lloyd L. "Scooter" Burke, a lieutenant with the1st Cavalry Division,Benjamin F. Wilson, a master sergeant with the7th Infantry Division,Lewis Millett, a captain with the27th Infantry Regiment and Air Force fighter aceGeorge A. Davis Jr., each earned both the Medal of Honor and the Distinguished Service Cross in Korea.
Colonel Arthur Champeny, previously decorated for bravery atSaint-Mihiel in September 1918 and a second time at Santa Maria Infante, Italy in May 1944, received a third Distinguished Service Cross in September 1950. Fighter pilotWilliam T. Whisner, recipient of two Distinguished Service Crosses in World War II, was awarded a third in Korea.
Ten World War II recipients received a second Distinguished Service Cross in Korea. Among these wereJohn T. Corley, whose first Distinguished Service Cross was earned in North Africa in March 1943 with the1st Infantry Division and whose second was earned in August 1950 with the25th Infantry Division,Hobart R. Gay, whose first Distinguished Service Cross was earned in 1944 as Chief of Staff ofGeorge S. Patton's Third Army and whose second was earned in 1950 as commanding general of the1st Cavalry Division, andWalton Walker, whose first Distinguished Service Cross was earned in 1944 as commanding general ofXX Corps and whose second was earned in 1950 as commanding general ofEighth Army. Nine men received two Distinguished Service Crosses in Korea. Among these wasEdward Almond, the commanding general of X Corps.
Korean War Distinguished Service Cross recipient First LieutenantRichard E. Cavazos would earn a second Distinguished Service Cross in Vietnam and rise to full general, becoming the first Hispanic-American four-star general. Korean War Distinguished Service Cross recipientRalph Puckett Jr. would also receive a second Distinguished Service Cross in Vietnam in command of a battalion of the101st Airborne Division.Thomas Tackaberry would earn a Distinguished Service Cross in 1952 as a company commander and two more in Vietnam. U.S. Air Force aceRalph Parr earned a Distinguished Service Cross in 1953 in Korea and an Air Force Cross in Vietnam.
Three marines earned both theNavy Cross and the Army Distinguished Service Cross in Korea:Homer Litzenberg,Raymond Murray, and Marine Corps legendLewis B. "Chesty" Puller. "Chesty" Puller had previously earned four Navy Crosses in Nicaragua and World War II, while Murray was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism in the 1st Marine Division's historic breakout from the Chosin Reservoir area to the sea at Hamhung, and two days later took part in the action which earned him his second Navy Cross. Murray had earned his first Navy Cross onSaipan during World War II.
Other notable Korean War recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross includeHarold K. Johnson, later Chief of Staff of the Army, andHerbert B. Powell, later Ambassador to New Zealand (1963–67). Along with Gen. Johnson, at least five other Korean War Distinguished Service Cross recipients later rose to four-star rank:Paul L. Freeman Jr.,Clark L. Ruffner (decorated in 1951 as commander of the2nd Infantry Division),John L. Throckmorton andJohn H. "Iron Mike" Michaelis (who had commanded the502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment in Normandy).Welborn G. Dolvin, decorated as a lieutenant colonel with the25th Infantry Division, rose to lieutenant general. MGNed D. Moore,[24] who earned a Distinguished Service Cross as a colonel in August 1950, had previously served as Chief of Staff of the101st Airborne Division in theBattle of the Bulge and later rose to major general.Olinto M. Barsanti went on to command the 101st Airborne in Vietnam.Guy S. Meloy went on to command the 82nd Airborne.1st Lt. Joseph G. Clemons Jr. for his actions during thePork Chop Hill, he would later command the198th Infantry Brigade in theVietnam War and Master SergeantJuan E. Negrón on 1951, from65th Infantry Regiment (United States), upgraded toMedal of Honor on 2014 by PresidentBarack Obama
Among the 14 foreign recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross in the Korean War was Sinasi Sukan (Şinasi Sükan), a captain with 3rd Brigade Turkish Army who has lost his leg during Vegas War,Kenneth Muir, a major with the 1st Battalion,Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, British Army, who also posthumously received theVictoria Cross. Other foreign recipients came from the Belgian, British, French, Greek, Philippine, South Korean and Turkish armies. Soldiers serving with theGreek Expeditionary Force received 6 Distinguished Service Crosses in total during the Korean War.
There were just over 1,000 awards in theVietnam War, almost 400 of which were posthumous.
Patrick Brady, a helicopter pilot with the 44th Medical Brigade, andRobert L. Howard, a Special Forces NCO, received both the Medal of Honor and the Distinguished Service Cross in Vietnam. Major GeneralKeith L. Ware, who had earned the Medal of Honor in World War II and who was killed in action in September 1968, received a posthumous Distinguished Service Cross.
James F. Hollingsworth, who received a Distinguished Service Cross in April 1945 as commander of 2nd Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, received a second award in November 1966 as assistant division commander of the 1st Infantry Division, and a third in March 1967 as acting division commander of the 1st Infantry Division. He was the subject of the narrative "The General Goes Zapping Charlie Cong".Thomas H. Tackaberry, who received his first Distinguished Service Cross in Korea, received a second in September 1966 as a battalion commander with the 1st Cavalry Division and a third in September 1969 as commander of the 196th Infantry Brigade, Americal Division. Both later rose to lieutenant general.
One World War II recipient,William E. DePuy, and two Korean War recipients,Richard E. Cavazos and Ralph Puckett Jr., received a second Distinguished Service Cross in Vietnam. Both DePuy and Cavazos would later rise to full general.
Besides Hollingsworth and Tackaberry, eleven other soldiers earned two Distinguished Service Crosses in Vietnam. Two,John R. Deane Jr. andBarry R. McCaffrey, later rose to full general, and a third,Henry E. Emerson, retired as a lieutenant general. McCaffrey also served as Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy during the Clinton Administration. ColonelDavid H. Hackworth, who also received ten Silver Stars in Korea and Vietnam, later rose to prominence as a military affairs journalist.George S. Patton IV, son of a two-time Distinguished Service Cross recipient, received two Distinguished Service Crosses in 1968 as commander of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. SergeantAdelbert Waldron III, twice awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in 1969 as a sniper with the9th Infantry Division, is credited with 109 confirmed kills, the most among U.S. snipers.[25][26]Dennis Tomcik, a first lieutenant with the47th Infantry Regiment, was twice awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for two separate actions in 1968 in the Kien Hoa Province.[27]
Among other notable Vietnam War Distinguished Service Cross recipients were several who later rose to full general. Among these, besides DePuy and Cavazos, werePaul F. Gorman, who later commanded the U.S. Southern Command;Robert C. Kingston, the first commander-in-chief of U.S. Central Command;James J. Lindsay, who later commanded the U.S. Special Operations Command;Timothy J. Grogan,[28] who later served as the deputy chief of staff for doctrine at the Army's Training and Doctrine Command at Fort Monroe; andLouis C. Menetrey, who wore three hats as Commander, United Nations Command, R.O.K./U.S. Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea.John W. Vessey Jr., decorated for valor during Operation Junction City in March 1967, rose to become Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, retiring in 1985.Frederick C. Weyand was decorated in 1967 as commanding general of the 25th Infantry Division. He would serve as Chief of Staff of the Army from 1974 to 1976.Bernard W. Rogers, decorated in March 1967 as assistant division commander of the 1st Infantry Division, succeeded General Weyand as Chief of Staff of the Army and subsequently became NATO's Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR).Alexander M. Haig Jr., also decorated in March 1967 as a battalion commander in the 1st Infantry Division, preceded General Rogers as SACEUR, and became Secretary of State in the Reagan Administration. FormerWest Point football All-American, then CaptainBill Carpenter, "The Lonesome End", received the award in 1966, and would go on to retire as a major general.
First LieutenantNorman A. Mordue received the Distinguished Service Cross for valor in May 1967 while serving with the 1st Cavalry Division. He was appointed to the U.S. federal bench in 1998 and in 2006 became the Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York.Eldon Bargewell, decorated in 1971 as a staff sergeant withMACV-SOG, was later commissioned and as of early 2006 was a major general on the staff of Multi-National Force Iraq and the only Vietnam-era DSC recipient still on active duty.David Christian, described as the "Youngest Most Decorated Officer of the Vietnam War", received the Distinguished Service Cross recipient while leading a long range reconnaissance patrol of the 1st Infantry Division, and later became a prominent advocate for veterans.
Among Distinguished Service Cross recipients for valor in the early battles in Vietnam were four members of the 1st Cavalry Division decorated for valor in theBattle of Ia Drang Valley in November 1965 – Lt. Col.Hal Moore who later became a Lieutenant General, MajorBruce Crandall, and two other members of their unit. The actions of all four were later portrayed in the 2002 filmWe Were Soldiers, based on Hal Moore's book on the battle. Crandall's Distinguished Service Cross was later upgraded to the Medal of Honor, which was presented to him in February 2007.
Six Distinguished Service Crosses were awarded toSon Tay raiders, participants in the November 1970 attempt to rescue U.S. POWs in North Vietnam. Among the recipients were Special Forces soldiersRichard J. "Dick" Meadows andArthur D. "Bull" Simons.
After the Vietnam War, the Distinguished Service Cross has been awarded multiple times.[29] As of December 2018[update], it has been awarded 16 times for actions duringOperation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan.[30] As of March 2013[update], the Distinguished Service Cross has been awarded 13 times for actions duringOperation Iraqi Freedom.[31] Master Sergeant David R. Halbruner was awarded the medal for his actions during the2012 Benghazi attack;[32] there has also been only one award for actions during the2015 Bamako hotel attack.[33]
MajorMark E. Mitchell,3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his leading his team against a numerically superior enemy force to free an American held captive at Qala-i-Jang Fortress, Mazar-e Sharif, Afghanistan between 25 and 28 November 2001.[34] MSgtBrendan W. O'Connor,2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross after he removed his body armor to reach to a pair of wounded teammates and render medical aid to them, while under fire, on 24 June 2006.[35]
ColonelJames H. Coffman Jr., 1st Iraqi Special Police Commando Brigade, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for defending a police station inMosul from an insurgent attack on 14 November 2004.[36]
Note that the inclusion of one, or more,Oak Leaf Clusters signifies each additional Distinguished Service Cross awarded to that recipient.
| Name | Service | Rank | Repeat DSC | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creighton W. Abrams Jr. | US Army | GEN | with one Oak Leaf Cluster | Army Chief of Staff |
| Edward Almond | US Army | LTG | with one Oak Leaf Cluster | Division and Corps commander in World War II and Korea. |
| Vernon Baker | US Army | 1LT | later upgraded to theMedal of Honor | |
| Robert H. Barrow | US Marine Corps | General | Commandant of the US Marine Corps. | |
| Robert S. Beightler | US Army | MG | Commanding General ofOhio Army National Guard's37th Infantry Division | |
| Thomas Blamey | Australian Army | General | later Australia's first Field Marshal | |
| Larry "Scrappy" Blumer | US Army Air Forces | MAJ | ||
| Richard Bong | US Army Air Forces | MAJ | Medal of Honor recipient with 40 confirmed aerial victories. | |
| Herman Bottcher | US Army | CPT | veteran of theAbraham Lincoln Battalion | |
| Lewis H. Brereton | US Army Air Service | LTG | with one Oak Leaf Cluster | |
| Maurice Britt | US Army | CPT | also a Medal of Honor andSilver Star recipient, first recipient of top four valor decorations in WWII | |
| John D. Bulkeley | US Navy | VADM | also Medal of Honor andNavy Cross recipient | |
| Joseph Burlazzi | US Army | |||
| John Francis Burnes | US Marine Corps | CPT | Marine officer in World War I. | |
| Douglas Campbell | US Army Air Service | with four Oak Leaf Clusters | ||
| Bill Carpenter | US Army | |||
| Modesto Cartagena | US Army | most decorated Hispanic soldier of theKorean War | ||
| Richard Cavazos | US Army | GEN | with one Oak Leaf Cluster | first Hispanic full general |
| Arthur S. Champeny | US Army | with two Oak leaf Clusters | only person to receive the DSC in three different conflicts:WWI,WWII and Korean War | |
| Llewellyn Chilson | US Army | with two Oak Leaf Clusters | ||
| Vasily Chuikov | Red Army | Army General (General Armii) | hero of WWIIBattle of Stalingrad | |
| Mark W. Clark | US Army | GEN | Commander of 5th Army Group | |
| William J. Cullerton | US Army Air Forces | WWIIflying ace | ||
| Alan "Ace" Cozzalio | US Army | helicopter pilot | ||
| William Orlando Darby | US Army | with one Oak Leaf Cluster | ||
| Daniel Daly | US Marine Corps | also Medal of Honor recipient | ||
| Dwight F. Davis | US Army | Secretary of War | ||
| Samuel David Dealey | US Navy | Commander | Medal of Honor and four-time Navy Cross recipient. | |
| Ray C. Dickop | US Army | 1LT | General John Pershing, Commander of the American Expeditionary Forces, compiled a list of 100 greatest American heroes of World War I which included 1LT Ray Dickop. | |
| William J. "Wild Bill" Donovan | US Army | MG | Director of theOffice of Strategic Services (OSS) and first recipient of top three decorations in single war. | |
| Otto Dowling | US Navy | Captain | Led response to the Lake Denmark explosion. | |
| Jesus S. Duran | US Army | Later upgraded to the Medal of Honor. | ||
| Robert L. Eichelberger | US Army | GEN | with one Oak Leaf Cluster | Commanded I Corps and the Eighth Army in the Southwest Pacific Area during World War II. |
| Henry E. Emerson | US Army | LTG | ||
| Robert M. Emery | US Army | 1LT | ||
| Sam Ervin | US Army | PVT | United States Senator and chairman of theWatergate hearings. | |
| Manuel J. Fernandez | US Air Force | Flying ace. | ||
| Geoffrey Cheney Ferris | US Army | 2LT | ||
| Wendell Fertig | US Army | COL | WWII Guerilla Leader 10th Military District, Philippine Islands. | |
| Aaron R. Fisher | US Army | 366th Infantry Regiment officer | ||
| Edward Fuller | US Marine Corps | Capt | ||
| James M. Gavin | US Army | LTG | with one Oak Leaf Cluster | |
| Hobart R. Gay | US Army | with one Oak Leaf Cluster | ||
| Andrew Goodpaster | US Army | GEN | NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe. | |
| John Campbell Greenway | US Army | BG | Rough Rider in Spanish-American War. | |
| Henry Gunther | US Army | SGT | Last casualty of World War I. | |
| Jeannette Guyot | French Resistance | |||
| David H. Hackworth | US Army | COL | with one Oak Leaf Cluster | Controversial author. Ten Silver Stars, eight Bronze Stars and eight Purple Hearts. |
| Alexander Haig | US Army | GEN | US Secretary of State. | |
| Virginia Hall | OSS | civilian | ||
| Frank Kerr Hays | Army Air Service | WWI ace | ||
| John L. Hines | US Army | GEN | Army Chief of Staff | |
| Courtney Hodges | US Army | GEN | Commanded First Army in World War II. | |
| Robert L. Howard | US Army | COL | Medal of Honor and Silver Star recipient, all in the same 1967–68 tour. | |
| Clarence R. Huebner | US Army | LTG | one Oak Leaf Cluster | Commanded the 1st Infantry Division and V Corps during World War II. |
| LeRoy P. Hunt | US Marine Corps | Col | ||
| Frank O'Driscoll "Monk" Hunter | US Army Air Service | MG | four Oak Leaf Clusters | World War I flying ace. |
| Isadore Jachman | US Army | Staff Sergeant | later upgraded to Medal of Honor | |
| Henry Johnson | US Army | SGT | later upgraded to Medal of Honor, African American soldier in WWI | |
| Rene Joyeuse | Free French Forces and OSS | Captain | ||
| Roy Judkins | US Army | Specialist sixth class | For action in Vietnam War as explosives disposal specialist[37] | |
| Ivan Kamera | Red Army | Colonel General (General-Polkovnik) | WWII artillery general | |
| Charles L. Kelly | US Army | Dust Off pilot, Vietnam, posthumous | ||
| George C. Kenney | US Army Air Service, US Army Air Forces | GEN | with one Oak Leaf Cluster | |
| Young-Oak Kim | US Army | COL | For action in WW2, later became first Asian-American to command a combat battalion in the Korean War.[38] | |
| Robert C. Kingston | US Army | GEN | Combat Veteran of Korea and Vietnam | |
| Salvador J. Lara | US Army | later upgraded to the Medal of Honor | ||
| Curtis LeMay | US Army Air Forces | GEN | Air Force Chief of Staff. | |
| Douglas MacArthur | US Army | GA | with two Oak Leaf Clusters | also received Medal of Honor, 7Silver Stars, and 3 FrenchCroix de Guerre. |
| Gordon H. Mansfield | US Army | CPT | Deputy Secretary of Department of Veterans Affairs | |
| Peyton C. March | US Army | GEN | Army Chief of Staff | |
| Anthony McAuliffe | US Army | GEN | Led defense ofBastogne. | |
| Barry McCaffrey | US Army | GEN | with one Oak Leaf Cluster | |
| John McNulty | US Marine Corps | Navy Cross recipient. | ||
| James Megellas | US Army | LTC | Also received 2Silver Star, 2Bronze Star with"V" and 2Purple Heart, considered one of the most decorated combat officers in the history of the82nd Airborne Division | |
| Louis Gonzaga Mendez Jr. | US Army | COL | Battalion commander,82nd Airborne Division. | |
| Billy Mitchell | US Army Air Service | BG | ||
| Kyle A. Morgan[39] | US Army | |||
| Dudley W. Morton | US Navy | CAPT | Distinguished submarine captain, also a four-time Navy Cross recipient | |
| Henry Mucci | US Army | |||
| Kenneth Muir | British Army | Major | Also BritishVictoria Cross recipient | |
| Audie Murphy | US Army | MAJ | Medal of Honor recipient. | |
| John "Gatling Gun" Parker | US Army | BG | with three Oak Leaf Clusters | |
| George S. Patton | US Army | GEN | with one Oak Leaf Cluster | Legendary general |
| George Patton IV | US Army | MG | with one Oak Leaf Cluster | |
| Keith Payne | Australian Army | WO2 | also Commonwealth Victoria Cross recipient | |
| Thomas Payne | US Army | SGM | later upgraded to the Medal of Honor | |
| John J. Pershing | US Army | GAS | Commander of theAmerican Expeditionary Force and Army Chief of Staff | |
| Pascal Poolaw | US Army | First Sergeant | The United States' most decorated Native American. Four Silver Stars and three Purple Hearts. | |
| Chesty Puller | US Marine Corps | LtGen | Five-time Navy Cross recipient. | |
| Howard Knox Ramey | US Army | |||
| William John Read | Royal Australian Navy | Lt | WWIICoastwatcher | |
| Eddie Rickenbacker | US Army Air Service | CPT | with six Oak Leaf Clusters | a seventh Oak Leaf was later upgraded to the Medal of Honor |
| Matthew B. Ridgway | US Army | GEN | with one Oak Leaf Cluster | Army Chief of Staff and NATO Supreme Allied Commander |
| Keller E. Rockey | US Marine Corps | LtGen | ||
| Bernard W. Rogers | US Army | GEN | US Army Chief of Staff and NATO Supreme Allied Commander. | |
| Theodore Roosevelt Jr. | US Army | BG | Also Medal of Honor recipient. | |
| Maurice Rose | US Army | MAJ | ||
| Robert Rosenthal | US Army Air Forces | LTC | also recipient of 16 other valor and service awards, WWII B-17 pilot | |
| Andrew Summers Rowan | US Army | |||
| Alfredo Santos | Philippine Army | Major | also received the Silver Star, both for his actions during the WWIIBattle of Bataan | |
| Lemuel C. Shepherd Jr. | US Marine Corps | Gen | Commandant of US Marine Corps. | |
| Oliver Prince Smith | US Marine Corps | Gen | ||
| Isabel Stambaugh | US Army Nurse Corps | hit by shelling in WWI field hospital, continued her duties | ||
| Joseph Stilwell | US Army | GEN | Commander of theChina Burma India Theater. | |
| Maxwell D. Taylor | US Army | GEN | Army Chief of Staff. | |
| Gerald C. Thomas | US Marine Corps | Gen | Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps. | |
| James A. Van Fleet | US Army | GEN | with two Oak Leaf Clusters | Commanded Eighth Army in Korea. |
| John Paul Vann | US State Department | Civilian | Former US Army Lieutenant Colonel. | |
| Jesús Villamor | Philippine Army Air Corps | Captain | with one Oak Leaf Cluster | |
| Walton Walker | US Army | GEN | with one Oak Leaf Cluster | Died in Korea. |
| Robert B. Williams | US Army Air Forces | |||
| Richard Winters | US Army | MAJ | "Band of Brothers" | |
| George Frederick Wootten | Australian Army | MAJGEN | ||
| Jarion Halbisengibbs[40] | US Army | SSGT | Awarded during his valor during theGlobal War on Terror | |
| Alvin York | US Army | MAJ | Later upgraded to the Medal of Honor | |
| Edward F. Younger | US Army | chosen to select theUnknown Soldier for the US after WWI |
In a number of cases, an award of the Distinguished Service Cross has later been revoked. In most cases, this has been for one of three reasons: the award was upgraded to theMedal of Honor, duplicate awards had been made to the same recipient for the same action by two different headquarters, or the award had been revoked to allow republication with a new and revised award citation. Such revocations have occurred over the history of the decoration.
One of the earliest such cases involves one of the most famous American soldiers of World War I,Alvin York, who initially received a Distinguished Service Cross which was upgraded to the Medal of Honor. And as noted above under "Notable Recipients", top American World War I ace pilotEddie Rickenbacker originally received eight DSCs, but one was upgraded in 1930 to the Medal of Honor. In 1980, MSGRoy P. Benavidez, aU.S. Army Special Forces veteran, had his Vietnam-era DSC upgraded to the Medal of Honor, which was presented to him by President Reagan at a Pentagon ceremony on February 24, 1981.
A number of DSC revocations and upgrades to the Medal of Honor were the result of reviews initiated by the Army or mandated by the United States Congress. In the early 1990s the Army began a review of discrimination against black soldiers in World War II, none of whom had received the Medal of Honor but several of whom had received lesser awards. Later, the Department of Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1996 provided for a "Review Regarding Upgrading of Distinguished-Service Crosses and Navy Crosses Awarded to Asian-Americans and Native American Pacific Islanders for World War II Service" and the National Defense Authorization Act for 2002 provided for a "Review Regarding Award of Medal of Honor to Certain Jewish American and Hispanic American War Veterans".[41] There is currently a petition circulating to upgrade the Distinguished Service Cross ofMajorRichard Winters to a Medal of Honor.
In January 1997, as a result of its review, the Army revoked six awards of the Distinguished Service Cross to black soldiers and upgraded them to the Medal of Honor. These were toVernon Baker,Edward A. Carter Jr.,John R. Fox,Willy F. James Jr.,Charles L. Thomas andGeorge Watson.[42] In 2001, the Army officially revoked 21 awards of the Distinguished Service Cross and one of the Silver Star to Asian-American soldiers, mostly Japanese-American, whose awards were upgraded to the Medal of Honor.[43] Among those whose DSC was upgraded was U.S. SenatorDaniel Inouye. Others includeFrancis B. Wai andRudolph B. Davila.
Jon E. Swanson, posthumously awarded a DSC in 1972, had this revoked in November 2005 (Department of the Army General Order No. 9 of 2005), after his DSC was upgraded to the Medal of Honor in December 2002 (Department of the Army General Order No. 14 of 2002). Another Vietnam War helicopter pilot,Bruce P. Crandall, was awarded the DSC in June 2001 (General Order No. 25 of 2001). This award was rescinded in November 2005 when a new citation was issued (General Order No. 9 of 2005), but the DSC itself was later upgraded to the Medal of Honor, which was presented in February 2007 (the DSC was revoked in General Order No. 3 of 2007).
Gallegos is the 16th recipient of the Service Cross from the U.S. war in Afghanistan.
The Times can now report that one of the Delta Force members was an Army soldier and the other a Marine.
The soldier was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, and the Marine received the Navy Cross for heroism.
| Decorations | |
|---|---|
| Good conduct | |
| Unit awards | |
| Service ribbons | |
| Defunct | |
