Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken this Day

BOWEN, CHESTER B. 
Rank and organization: Corporal, Company I, 19th New York Cavalry (1st New York Dragoons). Place and date: At Winchester, Va., 19 September 1864. Entered service at:------. Birth: Nunda, N.Y. Date of issue: 27 September 1864. Citation: Capture of flag. 

CARSON, WILLIAM J. 
Rank and organization: Musician, Company E, 1st Battalion, 15th U.S. Infantry. Place and date: At Chickamauga, Ga., 19 September 1863. Entered service at: North Greenfield, Ohio. Birth: Washington County, Pa. Date of issue: 27 January 1894. Citation: At a critical stage in the battle when the 14th Corps lines were wavering and in disorder he on his own initiative bugled "to the colors" amid the 18th U.S. Infantry who formed by him, and held the enemy. Within a few minutes he repeated his action amid the wavering 2d Ohio Infantry. This bugling deceived the enemy who believed reinforcements had arrived. Thus, they delayed their attack. 

COLE, GABRIEL 
Rank and organization: Corporal, Company I, 5th Michigan Cavalry. Place and date: At Winchester, Va., 19 September 1864. Entered service at: New Salem, Mich. Birth: Chenango County, N.Y. Date of issue: 27 September 1864. Citation: Capture of flag, during which he was wounded in the leg. 

DOWNS, HENRY W. 
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company I, 8th Vermont Infantry. Place and date: At Winchester, Va., 19 September 1864. Entered service at: Newfane, Vt. Birth: Jamaica, Vt. Date of issue: 13 December 1893. Citation: With one comrade, voluntarily crossed an open field, exposed to a raking fire, and returned with a supply of ammunition, successfully repeating the attempt a short time thereafter. 

FOX, HENRY M. 
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company M, 5th Michigan Cavalry. Place and date: At Winchester, Va., 19 September 1864. Entered service at: Coldwater, Mich. Born: 1844, Trumbull, Ohio. Date of issue: 27 September 1864. Citation: Capture of flag. 

LORISH, ANDREW J. 
Rank and organization: Commissary Sergeant, 19th New York Cavalry (1st New York Dragoons). Place and date: At Winchester, Va., 19 September 1864. Entered service at:------. Born: 8 November 1832, Dansville, Steuben County, N.Y. Date of issue: 27 September 1864 Citation: Amid the enemy he grabbed the flag from a color bearer who then called for help. When the bearer's comrades were readying their rifles he dashed directly at them securing their disarming. As he rode away, the Confederates picked up their guns firing at the captor of their flag. 

LUNT, ALPHONSO M. 
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company F, 38th Massachusetts Infantry. Place and date: At Opequan Creek, Va., 19 September 1864. Entered service at: Cambridge, Mass. Birth: Berwick, Maine. Date of issue: 10 May 1894. Citation: Carried his flag to the most advanced position where, left almost alone close to the enemy's lines he refused their demand to surrender, withdrew at great personal peril, and saved his flag. 

LYMAN, JOEL H. 
Rank and organization: Quartermaster Sergeant, Company B, 9th New York Cavalry. Place and date: At Winchester, Va., 19 September 1864. Entered service at: East Randolph, N.Y. Birth: Cattaraugus, N.Y. Date of issue: 20 August 1894. Citation: In an attempt to capture a Confederate flag he captured one of the enemy's officers and brought him within the lines. 

McENROE, PATRICK H. 
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company D, 6th New York Cavalry. Place and date: At Winchester, Va., 19 September 1864. Entered service at: New York. Birth: Ireland. Date of issue: 27 September 1864. Citation: Capture of colors of 36th Virginia Infantry (C.S.A.). 

MEACH, GEORGE E. 
Rank and organization: Farrier, Company I, 6th New York Cavalry. Place and date: At Winchester, Va., 19 September 1864. Entered service at: ------. Birth: New York. Date of issue: 27 September 1864. Citation: Capture of flag. 

MYERS, GEORGE S. 
Rank and organization: Private, Company F, 101st Ohio Infantry. Place and date: At Chickamauga, Ga., 19 September 1863. Entered service at: ------. Birth: Fairfield, Ohio. Date of issue: 9 April 1894. Citation: Saved the regimental colors by greatest personal devotion and bravery. 

PECK, CASSIUS 
Rank and organization: Private, Company F, 1st U.S. Sharpshooters. Place and date: Near Blackburn's Ford, Va., 19 September 1862. Entered service at: ------. Birth: Brookfield, Vt. Date of issue: 12 October 1892. Citation: Took command of such soldiers as he could get and attacked and captured a Confederate battery of 4 guns. Also, while on a reconnaissance, overtook and captured a Confederate soldier. 

REED, AXEL H. 
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company K, 2d Minnesota Infantry. Place and date: At Chickamauga, Ga., 19 September 1863; At Missionary Ridge, Tenn., 25 November 1863. Entered service at: Glencoe, Minn. Birth: Maine. Date of issue: 2 April 1898. Citation: While in arrest at Chickamauga, Ga., left his place in the rear and voluntarily went to the line of battle, secured a rifle, and fought gallantly during the 2_day battle; was released from arrest in recognition of his bravery. At Missionary Ridge commanded his company and gallantly led it, being among the first to enter the enemy's works; was severely wounded, losing an arm, but declined a discharge and remained in active service to the end of the war. 

REYNOLDS, GEORGE 
Rank and organization: Private, Company M, 9th New York Cavalry. Place and date: At Winchester, Va., 19 September 1864. Entered service at: New York, N.Y. Birth: Ireland. Date of issue: 27 September 1864. Citation: Capture of Virginia State flag. 

RICHEY, WILLIAM E. 
Rank and organization: Corporal, Company A, 15th Ohio Infantry. Place and date: At Chickamauga, Ga., 19 September 1863. Entered service at: ------. Birth: Athens County, Ohio. Date of issue: 9 November 1893. Citation: While on the extreme front, between the lines of the combatants single_handed he captured a Confederate major who was armed and mounted. 

RYAN, PETER J. 
Rank and organization: Private, Company D, 11th Indiana Infantry Place and date: At Winchester, Va., 19 September 1864. Entered service at: Vigo County, Ind. Birth: Ireland. Date of issue: 4 April 1865. Citation: With one companion, captured 14 Confederates in the severest part of the battle. 

SCHMIDT, CONRAD 
Rank and organization: First Sergeant, Company K, 2d U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: At Winchester, Va., 19 September 1864. Entered service at: ------. Birth: Germany. Date of issue. 16 March 1896. Citation: Went to the assistance of his regimental commander, whose horse had been killed under him in a charge, mounted the officer behind him, under a heavy fire from the enemy, and returned him to his command. 

SCHOONMAKER, JAMES M. 
Rank and organization: Colonel, 14th Pennsylvania Cavalry. Place and date: At Winchester, Va., 19 September 1864. Entered service at: Maryland. Born: 30 June 1842, Pittsburgh, Pa. Date of issue: 19 May 1899. Citation: At a critical period, gallantly led a cavalry charge against the left of the enemy's line of battle, drove the enemy out of his works, and captured many prisoners. 

SEARS, CYRUS 
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, 11th Battery, Ohio Light Artillery. Place and date: At Iuka, Miss., 19 September 1862. Entered service at: Bucyrus, Ohio. Born: 10 March 1832, Delaware County, N.Y. Date of issue: 31 December 1892. Citation: Although severely wounded, fought his battery until the cannoneers and horses were nearly all killed or wounded. 

*SESTON, CHARLES H. 
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company I, 11th Indiana Infantry. Place and date: At Winchester, Va., 19 September 1864. Entered service at: New Albany, Ind. Birth: New Albany, Ind. Date of issue: 6 April 1865. Citation: Gallant and meritorious service in carrying the regimental colors. 

STERLING, JOHN T. 
Rank and organization: Private, Company D, 11th Indiana Infantry. Place and date: At Winchester, Va., 19 September 1864. Entered service at: Marion County, Ind. Birth. Edgar County, Ill. Date of issue: 4 April 1865. Citation: With one companion captured 14 of the enemy in the severest part of the battle. 

MORSE, WILLIAM
Rank and organization: Seaman, U.S. Navy. Born: 1852, Germany. Accredited to: New York. G.O. No.: 326, 18 October 1884. Citation. For jumping overboard from the U.S.S. Shenandoah at Rio de Janeiro Brazil, 19 September 1880, and rescuing from drowning James Grady, first class fireman.

SMITH, JOHN
Rank and organization: Seaman, U.S. Navy. Born: 1854, Bermuda. Accredited to: New York. G.O. No.: 326, 18 October 1884. Citation: For jumping overboard from the U.S.S. Shenandoah, at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 19 September 1880, and rescuing from drowning James Grady, first class fireman.

*COLLIER, JOHN W. 
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army, Company C, 27th Infantry Regiment. Place and date: Near Chindong-ni, Korea, 19 September 1950. Entered service at: Worthington, Ky. Born: 3 April 1929, Worthington, Ky. G.O. No.: 86, 2 August 1951. Citation: Cpl. Collier, Company C, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action. While engaged in an assault on a strategic ridge strongly defended by a fanatical enemy, the leading elements of his company encountered intense automatic weapons and grenade fire. Cpl. Collier and 3 comrades volunteered and moved forward to neutralize an enemy machine gun position which was hampering the company's advance, but they were twice repulsed. On the third attempt, Cpl. Collier, despite heavy enemy fire and grenade barrages, moved to an exposed position ahead of his comrades, assaulted and destroyed the machine gun nest, killing at least 4 enemy soldiers. As he returned down the rocky, fire-swept hill and joined his squad, an enemy grenade landed in their midst. Shouting a warning to his comrades, he, selflessly and unhesitatingly, threw himself upon the grenade and smothered its explosion with his body. This intrepid action saved his comrades from death or injury. Cpl. Collier's supreme, personal bravery, consummate gallantry, and noble self-sacrifice reflect untold glory upon himself and uphold the honored traditions of the military service. 

*JECELIN, WILLIAM R. 
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Saga, Korea, 19 September 1950. Entered service at: Baltimore, Md. Birth: Baltimore, Md. G.O. No.: 24, 25 April 1951. Citation: Sgt. Jecelin, Company C, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and Intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. His company was ordered to secure a prominent, sawtoothed ridge from a well-entrenched and heavily armed enemy. Unable to capture the objective in the first attempt, a frontal and flanking assault was launched. He led his platoon through heavy enemy fire and bursting shells, across ricefields and rocky terrain, in direct frontal attack on the ridge in order to draw fire away from the flanks. The unit advanced to the base of the cliff, where intense, accurate hostile fire stopped the attack. Realizing that an assault was the only solution, Sgt. Jecelin rose from his position firing his rifle and throwing grenades as he called on his men to follow him. Despite the intense enemy fire this attack carried to the crest of the ridge where the men were forced to take cover. Again he rallied his men and stormed the enemy strongpoint. With fixed bayonets they charged into the face of antitank fire and engaged the enemy in hand-to-hand combat. After clubbing and slashing this force into submission the platoon was forced to take cover from direct frontal fire of a self-propelled gun. Refusing to be stopped he leaped to his feet and through sheer personal courage and fierce determination led his men in a new attack. At this instant a well-camouflaged enemy soldier threw a grenade at the remaining members of the platoon. He immediately lunged and covered the grenade with his body, absorbing the full force of the explosion to save those around him. This incredible courage and willingness to sacrifice himself for his comrades so imbued them with fury that they completely eliminated the enemy force. Sgt. Jecelin's heroic leadership and outstanding gallantry reflect the highest credit upon himself and uphold the esteemed traditions of the military service.

TODAY IN MILITARY HISTORY

19 September

◆1356 Battle of Poitiers: English defeat the French.
◆1676 Rebels under Nathaniel Bacon set Jamestown, Va., on fire. 
​◆1734 War of the Polish Succession: Battle of Guastella - Franco-Piedmontese-Spanish forces defeat the Austrians, to capture Milan.
◆1777 During the Revolutionary War, American soldiers won the first Battle of Saratoga, aka Battle of Freeman's Farm (Bemis Heights). American forces under Gen. Horatio Gates met British troops led by Gen. John Burgoyne at Saratoga Springs, NY.
◆1796 Battle of Altenkirchen: Desperate French rearguard action against the Austrians.
◆1860 Battle of Caiazzo: The Garibaldini defeat the Bourbons.
◆1862 Union troops under General William Rosecrans defeat a Confederate force commanded by General Sterling Price at Iuka in northern Mississippi. 
◆1862 Ram Queen of the West, Medical Cadet Charles R. Ellet, escorting two troop transports, had a sharp engagement with Confederate infantry and artillery above Bolivar, Mississippi.
◆1863 The Confederate Army of Tennessee under General Braxton Bragg soundly defeats General William Rosecrans’ Army of the Cumberland in a two-day engagement that proved almost as costly as the larger battles fought in the eastern theater. Bragg’s army suffered 18,000 causalities from his 66,300 men (27%) while Rosecrans’ army had 16,000 losses out of 58,000 men engaged (28%). The net effect was the Union forces had to quickly fall back to Chattanooga, TN. Bragg was slow to follow up and lost an opportunity to decisively eliminate this Union army from the field.
◆1864 Confederates under Acting Master John Yates Beau captured and burned steamers Philo Parsons and Island Queen on Lake Erie. 
◆1864 Union General Philip Sheridan routs a Confederate force under General Jubal Early in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. This battle was part of Sheridan's pacification of the valley. 
◆1870 Franco-Prussian War: Germans invest Paris, which falls on Jan 28, 1871.
◆1881 Eighty days after a failed office seeker shot him in Washington, D.C., President James A. Garfield dies of complications from his wounds. 
◆1912 Marines participated in the Battle of Masaya during the Nicaraguan Campaign.
◆1915 SECNAV Josephus Daniels organizes the Naval Consulting Board to mobilize the scientific resources of U.S. for national defense.
◆1918 American troops of the Allied North Russia Expeditionary Force received their baptism of fire near the town of Seltso against Soviet forces.
◆1927 Battle of Telpaneca, Nicaragua.
◆1943 American land-based Liberator bombers attack the island of Tarawa.
◆1944 Operation Market Garden continues. In the morning the British 30th Corps reaches troops of the US 82nd Airborne Division at Grave. The combined force advances toward Nijmegen. At Arnhem, the British 1st Airborne Division continues to hold. Meanwhile, in Brittany, the last German resistance in Brest comes to an end.
◆1944 On Peleliu there is heavy fighting around Mount Umurbrogol. Japanese forces are continuing to hold against the US marine attacks. On Angaur, there is intensive fighting between American troops and the small Japanese garrison.
◆1945 Kim Il-sung arrives Port Wonsan onboard the Soviet warship Pugachev and begins to organize the Workers' Party of Korea (which is formally announced on October 10, 1945).
◆1945 In Japan, American occupation forces issue a press code, totally banning reports or publications about the atomic bombing. 
◆1948 Moscow announced it would withdraw all soldiers from Korea by the end of the year.
◆1957 The United States conducted its first underground nuclear test, in the Nevada desert.
◆1957 Bathyscaph Trieste, in a dive sponsored by the Office of Naval Research in the Mediterranean, reaches record depth of 2 miles.
◆1959 Nikita Khrushchev is denied access to Disneyland.
◆1966 The Johnson administration and its handling of the war in Vietnam comes under attack from several quarters. A group of 22 eminent U.S. scientists, including seven Nobel laureates, urged the President to halt the use of antipersonnel and anti-crop chemical weapons in Vietnam. In Congress, House Republicans issued a "White Paper" that warned that the United States was becoming "a full-fledged combatant" in a war that was becoming "bigger than the Korean War." The paper urged the President to end the war "more speedily and at a smaller cost, while safeguarding the independence and freedom of South Vietnam." Johnson's handling of the war was also questioned in the United Nations, where Secretary General U Thant proposed a three-point plan for peace in Vietnam, which included cessation of U.S. bombing of the North; de-escalation of the ground war in South Vietnam; and inclusion of the National Liberation Front in the Paris peace talks. In Rome, Pope Paul VI appealed to world leaders in a papal encyclical to end the Vietnam War. Despite such calls, the United States launched extensive bombing raids by B-52s that lasted for four days against a mixture of targets in the DMZ, including infiltration trails, troop concentrations, supply areas, and base camps.
◆1969 President Nixon announces the cancellation of the draft calls for November and December. He reduced the draft call by 50,000 (32,000 in November and 18,000 in December). This move accompanied his twin program of turning the war over to the South Vietnamese concurrent with U.S. troop withdrawals and was calculated to quell antiwar protests by students returning to college campuses after the summer.
◆1991 UN Resolution 712 allowed a partial lifting of the embargo against Iraq for humanitarian purposes.
◆1994 20,000 U.S. troops land unopposed in Haiti to oversee the country's transition to democracy. 
◆1997 A US Air Force B-1 bomber crashed on a training mission in Montana and all 4 crew members were killed.
◆2000 Nine Cubans were rescued at sea after their Antonov AN-2 biplane plunged into the Gulf of Mexico. The cargo ship Chios Dream pulled found the survivors and a 10th body. Immigration officials soon granted their legal entry to the US.
◆2001 Pres. Bush warned Afghanistan that he would not negotiate to take custody of Osama bin Laden. The Pentagon began deploying troops, ships and planes to the Persian Gulf under code name "Operation Infinite Justice." The title became a working name after Islamic scholars objected that "infinite justice" is reserved for God.
◆2001 In Indonesia Ayip Syafrudin, leader of the Laskar Jihad (Holy War Warriors), said he would declare a jihad against the US if it attacks Muslim countries.
◆2001 Japan’s PM Koizumi promised to push legislative changes to permit Japanese troops to provide logistical support for a US-led war on terrorism.
◆2002 President Bush asked Congress for authority to "use all means," including military force if necessary, to disarm and overthrow Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein if he did not quickly meet United Nations demands to abandon all weapons of mass destruction.
◆2004 US warplanes and artillery pounded the guerrilla stronghold of Fallujah. A militant group posted a video showing the beheading of 3 Kurdish hostages.

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