William Orlando Darby
Encyclopedia
William Orlando Darby was an officer
in the United States Army
during World War II
. Darby led the famous Darby's Rangers which evolved into the US Army
Rangers
and was also made famous as a major motion picture starring the American actor
James Garner
in the role of Darby.
, Arkansas
. He graduated from the United States Military Academy
with a bachelor of science
degree and was commissioned a second lieutenant
in the Field Artillery on 13 June 1933.
, Texas
. In July 1934, he transferred to Cloudcroft, New Mexico
where he commanded the 1st Cavalry Division detachment. He received intensive artillery training from September 1937 to June 1938 while attending Field Artillery School at Fort Sill
, Oklahoma
. On 9 September 1940, he was promoted to captain and subsequently served with the 80th Division at Camp Jackson
, South Carolina
; Fort Benning
, Georgia
; Camp Beauregard
, Louisiana
and Fort Des Moines
, Iowa
.
. He was with the first U.S. troops sent to Northern Ireland
at the outbreak of the war, and during his stay there, he became interested in the British Commandos
. His interest was such that, when the U.S. Army decided to establish its Ranger units, he was assigned to direct their organization and training. Many of the original Rangers were volunteers from the Red Bull, the 34th Infantry Division.
“Darby's Rangers” trained with their British
counterparts in Scotland
and in 1943, the 1st Ranger Battalion made its first assault at Arzew, North Africa
. Darby was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
(DSC) for his actions during that operation. The citation stated:
The 1st Ranger Battalion saw further action in the Italian Campaign
. Darby received a second award (oak leaf cluster
) of the DSC in 1943 for his gallantry in Sicily
:
Darby was also awarded the Silver Star
in 1943 for his actions:
In April 1944, having been promoted to colonel
, he returned to Washington, D.C.
for duty with the Army Ground Forces
and later with the War Department
General Staff. In March 1945, he returned to Italy for an observation tour with General of the Army
Henry H. "Hap" Arnold
.
On 23 April 1945, Brigadier General
Robinson E. Duff, assistant division commander of the US 10th Mountain Division, was wounded; Darby took over for Duff. “Task Force Darby” spearheaded the breakout of the 5th Army from the Po River
valley bridgehead and reached Torbole
at the head of Lake Garda
.
to cut off a German
retreat, an 88 mm
shell burst in the middle of the assembled officers and NCOs, killing Darby and a sergeant
and wounding several others. Relying on the inspiration of their late commander, “Task Force Darby” continued on with their mission. Two days later, on 2 May 1945, all German forces in Italy surrendered.
Darby, who was 34 at the time of his death, was posthumously promoted to brigadier general as of the date. He was buried at Fort Smith National Cemetery
in Fort Smith
, Sebastian County, Arkansas.
He died on the same day as Adolf Hitler
and Eva Braun
.
, is named after him. In addition, two U.S. Army installations in Europe were named after Darby: W.O. Darby Kaserne, Fürth
, Germany
(closed in 1995); and the operational Camp Darby
, near Livorno
, Italy. The town of Cisterna, Italy, dedicated its high school
to Darby.
Darby Junior High School was built in 1897. It was then Fort Smith High School. The school was only three months old when on January 11, 1898, a tornado struck Fort Smith and practically destroyed the new building.
The school was rebuilt and in 1910 a second portion was built. This part was completely destroyed by fire on September 2, 1912. By heroic effort the old section was saved. The final section, the auditorium, gymnasium, swimming pool, and classrooms were built in 1918-1919.
Fort Smith High School
In January 1928, the high school moved to North 23 and B street, leaving the seventh, eighth, and ninth grades to make up the junior high.
In 1955 the name of Fort Smith Junior High School was changed to William O. Darby Junior School in honor of General Darby who led troops in Africa and Italy during World War II. Darby was killed in action leading the Fifth Army spearhead in the Po Valley in 1945. In 1958 the name of the school’s athletic teams was changed from Cubs to Rangers after the famous Darby Rangers.
Because of the age and condition of the original building, the school board decided a new building was needed and on September 26, 1967 an increase in millage was voted for the erecting of a new school.
School started in the new building in 1969 and only the section of the building that had been built in 1918-1919 was left. It was later remodeled.
During the fall of 1971, the new gymnasium and a general music building was occupied. Beginning in the 2006 - 2007 school year, Darby opened up a new Science and Media Center. The new building has six science classrooms, a science lab, and a new media center.
In 1958 the motion picture Darby's Rangers
, starring James Garner
dramatized Darby's military exploits. Wayde Preston
also played a character role based on Darby in the 1968 film Anzio
.
A book entitled Onward We Charge: The Heroic Story of Darby's Rangers in World War II by H. Paul Jeffers was published in 2007.
In addition to the awards conferred upon him by the U.S. Army, he received the following foreign awards:
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Darby led the famous Darby's Rangers which evolved into the US Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
Rangers
United States Army Rangers
United States Army Rangers are elite members of the United States Army. Rangers have served in recognized U.S. Army Ranger units or have graduated from the U.S. Army's Ranger School...
and was also made famous as a major motion picture starring the American actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
James Garner
James Garner
James Garner is an American film and television actor, one of the first Hollywood actors to excel in both media. He has starred in several television series spanning a career of more than five decades...
in the role of Darby.
Early life
Darby was born at Fort SmithFort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. He graduated from the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
with a bachelor of science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree and was commissioned a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the Field Artillery on 13 June 1933.
Army career
His first assignment was being an assistant executive and supply officer with the 82nd Field Artillery at Fort BlissFort Bliss
Fort Bliss is a United States Army post in the U.S. states of New Mexico and Texas. With an area of about , it is the Army's second-largest installation behind the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. It is FORSCOM's largest installation, and has the Army's largest Maneuver Area behind the...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. In July 1934, he transferred to Cloudcroft, New Mexico
Cloudcroft, New Mexico
Cloudcroft is a village in Otero County, New Mexico and is within the Lincoln National Forest. The population was 749 at the 2000 census. Despite being located in an otherwise arid region, its extremely high elevation allows for a relatively mild summer that makes it a popular tourist attraction...
where he commanded the 1st Cavalry Division detachment. He received intensive artillery training from September 1937 to June 1938 while attending Field Artillery School at Fort Sill
Fort Sill
Fort Sill is a United States Army post near Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.Today, Fort Sill remains the only active Army installation of all the forts on the South Plains built during the Indian Wars...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. On 9 September 1940, he was promoted to captain and subsequently served with the 80th Division at Camp Jackson
Camp Jackson
Camp Jackson may refer to:* Camp Jackson a post located near Ione, Amador County, California during the American Civil War* Initial name for Fort Jackson, a US Army base in South Carolina...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
; Fort Benning
Fort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
; Camp Beauregard
Camp Beauregard
For the American Civil War site, see Camp Beauregard Memorial in Water Valley.Camp Beauregard is a U.S. Army installation located northeast of Pineville, Louisiana, primarily in Rapides Parish, but also extending northward into Grant Parish. It is currently operated by the Louisiana National Guard...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
and Fort Des Moines
Fort Des Moines
Fort Des Moines can refer to:*Fort Des Moines No. 1 , a U.S. Army post that grew into Montrose, Iowa*Fort Des Moines No. 2 , a U.S. Army post that grew into Des Moines, Iowa...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
.
Rangers
As the Second World War progressed, Darby saw rapid promotion to the grade of lieutenant colonelLieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
. He was with the first U.S. troops sent to Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
at the outbreak of the war, and during his stay there, he became interested in the British Commandos
British Commandos
The British Commandos were formed during the Second World War in June 1940, following a request from the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, for a force that could carry out raids against German-occupied Europe...
. His interest was such that, when the U.S. Army decided to establish its Ranger units, he was assigned to direct their organization and training. Many of the original Rangers were volunteers from the Red Bull, the 34th Infantry Division.
“Darby's Rangers” trained with their British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
counterparts in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and in 1943, the 1st Ranger Battalion made its first assault at Arzew, North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
. Darby was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree...
(DSC) for his actions during that operation. The citation stated:
“Lt. Col. Darby struck with his force with complete surprise at dawn in the rear of a strongly fortified enemy position. Always conspicuously at the head of his troops, he personally led assaults against the enemy line in the face of heavy machine gun and artillery fire, establishing the fury of the Ranger attack by his skillful employment of hand grenades in close quarter fighting. On March 22, Lt. Col. Darby directed his battalion in advance on Bon Hamean, capturing prisoners and destroying a battery of self propelled artillery.”
The 1st Ranger Battalion saw further action in the Italian Campaign
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
. Darby received a second award (oak leaf cluster
Oak leaf cluster
An oak leaf cluster is a common device which is placed on U.S. Army and Air Force awards and decorations to denote those who have received more than one bestowal of a particular decoration. The number of oak leaf clusters typically indicates the number of subsequent awards of the decoration...
) of the DSC in 1943 for his gallantry in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
:
“Lt. Col. Darby, with the use of one 37mm gun, which he personally manned, managed not only to repulse an enemy attack, but succeeded with this weapon in destroying one tank, while two others were accounted for by well directed hand grenade fire.”
Darby was also awarded the Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
in 1943 for his actions:
“Without regard for his personal safety, the day previous to a raid, he reconnoitered enemy positions and planned the attack which he led the following morning. The thorough organization and successful attack led by Lt. Col. Darby revealed his initiative, courage, and devotion to duty which is a credit to the Armed Forces of the United States.”
Promotion
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
, he returned to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
for duty with the Army Ground Forces
Army Ground Forces
The Army Ground Forces were one of the three autonomous components of the Army of the United States during World War II, the others being the Army Air Forces and Army Service Forces. Throughout their existence, Army Ground Forces were the largest training organization ever established in the United...
and later with the War Department
United States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
General Staff. In March 1945, he returned to Italy for an observation tour with General of the Army
General of the Army (United States)
General of the Army is a five-star general officer and is the second highest possible rank in the United States Army. A special rank of General of the Armies, which ranks above General of the Army, does exist but has only been conferred twice in the history of the Army...
Henry H. "Hap" Arnold
Henry H. Arnold
Henry Harley "Hap" Arnold was an American general officer holding the grades of General of the Army and later General of the Air Force. Arnold was an aviation pioneer, Chief of the Air Corps , Commanding General of the U.S...
.
On 23 April 1945, Brigadier General
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
Robinson E. Duff, assistant division commander of the US 10th Mountain Division, was wounded; Darby took over for Duff. “Task Force Darby” spearheaded the breakout of the 5th Army from the Po River
Po River
The Po |Ligurian]]: Bodincus or Bodencus) is a river that flows either or – considering the length of the Maira, a right bank tributary – eastward across northern Italy, from a spring seeping from a stony hillside at Pian del Re, a flat place at the head of the Val Po under the northwest face...
valley bridgehead and reached Torbole
Nago-Torbole
Nago-Torbole is a comune in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 30 km southwest of Trento on the north shore of Lake Garda...
at the head of Lake Garda
Lake Garda
Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy. It is located in Northern Italy, about half-way between Brescia and Verona, and between Venice and Milan. Glaciers formed this alpine region at the end of the last ice age...
.
Death
On 30 April 1945, while Darby was issuing orders for the attack on TrentoTrento
Trento is an Italian city located in the Adige River valley in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It is the capital of Trentino...
to cut off a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
retreat, an 88 mm
88 mm gun
The 88 mm gun was a German anti-aircraft and anti-tank artillery gun from World War II. It was widely used by Germany throughout the war, and was one of the most recognizable German weapons of the war...
shell burst in the middle of the assembled officers and NCOs, killing Darby and a sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
and wounding several others. Relying on the inspiration of their late commander, “Task Force Darby” continued on with their mission. Two days later, on 2 May 1945, all German forces in Italy surrendered.
Darby, who was 34 at the time of his death, was posthumously promoted to brigadier general as of the date. He was buried at Fort Smith National Cemetery
Fort Smith National Cemetery
Fort Smith National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas. It encompasses 22.3 acres, and as of the end of 2005, had 13,127 interments.- History :...
in Fort Smith
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
, Sebastian County, Arkansas.
He died on the same day as Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
and Eva Braun
Eva Braun
Eva Anna Paula Hitler was the longtime companion of Adolf Hitler and, for less than 40 hours, his wife. Braun met Hitler in Munich, when she was 17 years old, while working as an assistant and model for his personal photographer and began seeing him often about two years later...
.
Legacy
Darby's records, medals, military records, and uniforms are on display at the Old Fort Museum in Fort Smith, and his boyhood home is open for tours. Camp Darby, near Fort Benning, which is home to the second part of the "Benning Phase" of Ranger SchoolRanger School
The United States Army Ranger School is an intense 61-day combat leadership course oriented towards small-unit tactics. It has been called the "toughest combat course in the world" and "is the most physically and mentally demanding leadership school the Army has to offer". The course is conducted...
, is named after him. In addition, two U.S. Army installations in Europe were named after Darby: W.O. Darby Kaserne, Fürth
Fürth
The city of Fürth is located in northern Bavaria, Germany in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. It is now contiguous with the larger city of Nuremberg, the centres of the two cities being only 7 km apart....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(closed in 1995); and the operational Camp Darby
Camp Darby
Camp Darby is a United States military complex located between Pisa and Livorno. The base was formally dedicated on 15 November 1952 and is named in memory of Brigadier General William O...
, near Livorno
Livorno
Livorno , traditionally Leghorn , is a port city on the Tyrrhenian Sea on the western edge of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of approximately 160,000 residents in 2009.- History :...
, Italy. The town of Cisterna, Italy, dedicated its high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
to Darby.
Darby Junior High School was built in 1897. It was then Fort Smith High School. The school was only three months old when on January 11, 1898, a tornado struck Fort Smith and practically destroyed the new building.
The school was rebuilt and in 1910 a second portion was built. This part was completely destroyed by fire on September 2, 1912. By heroic effort the old section was saved. The final section, the auditorium, gymnasium, swimming pool, and classrooms were built in 1918-1919.
Fort Smith High School
In January 1928, the high school moved to North 23 and B street, leaving the seventh, eighth, and ninth grades to make up the junior high.
In 1955 the name of Fort Smith Junior High School was changed to William O. Darby Junior School in honor of General Darby who led troops in Africa and Italy during World War II. Darby was killed in action leading the Fifth Army spearhead in the Po Valley in 1945. In 1958 the name of the school’s athletic teams was changed from Cubs to Rangers after the famous Darby Rangers.
Because of the age and condition of the original building, the school board decided a new building was needed and on September 26, 1967 an increase in millage was voted for the erecting of a new school.
School started in the new building in 1969 and only the section of the building that had been built in 1918-1919 was left. It was later remodeled.
During the fall of 1971, the new gymnasium and a general music building was occupied. Beginning in the 2006 - 2007 school year, Darby opened up a new Science and Media Center. The new building has six science classrooms, a science lab, and a new media center.
In 1958 the motion picture Darby's Rangers
Darby's Rangers (1958 film)
Darby's Rangers is a 1958 war film starring James Garner as William Orlando Darby, World War II commander of the 1st Ranger Battalion. The movie was shot by Warner Brothers Studios in black and white to match wartime stock footage included in the production and was directed by William...
, starring James Garner
James Garner
James Garner is an American film and television actor, one of the first Hollywood actors to excel in both media. He has starred in several television series spanning a career of more than five decades...
dramatized Darby's military exploits. Wayde Preston
Wayde Preston
Wayde Preston or William Erskine Strange was a television actor noted for the series Colt .45 and for his appearance as Waco Williams in a 1958 episode of Maverick entitled "The Saga of Waco Williams"...
also played a character role based on Darby in the 1968 film Anzio
Anzio (film)
Anzio, also known as Lo Sbarco di Anzio or The Battle for Anzio, is a 1968 war film about Operation Shingle, the 1944 Allied seaborne assault on the Italian port of Anzio in World War II...
.
A book entitled Onward We Charge: The Heroic Story of Darby's Rangers in World War II by H. Paul Jeffers was published in 2007.
Awards and decorations
- Distinguished Service CrossDistinguished Service Cross (United States)The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree...
with oak leaf clusterOak leaf clusterAn oak leaf cluster is a common device which is placed on U.S. Army and Air Force awards and decorations to denote those who have received more than one bestowal of a particular decoration. The number of oak leaf clusters typically indicates the number of subsequent awards of the decoration... 
Silver starSilver StarThe Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
In addition to the awards conferred upon him by the U.S. Army, he received the following foreign awards:
-
FrenchFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Croix de GuerreCroix de guerreThe Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
with Silver Star (for those who had been mentioned at division level.) -
SovietSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
Order of KutuzovOrder of KutuzovThe Order of Kutuzov is a Soviet and Russian military award, named after famous Russian Field Marshal Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov ....
(3rd degree) -
BritishUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Distinguished Service OrderDistinguished Service OrderThe Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...