Sunday, November 19, 2006

23 Names Every Trooper Should Know!

The Bravest of the Brave

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States. It is awarded "for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, in actual combat against an armed enemy force." Since it was first awarded during the Civil War, the medal has been awarded 3,460 times, most recently in 2005. There were 23 Medal of Honor awarded to the Buffalo Soldiers during the Indian and the Spanish-American Wars.

9th Cavalry Medal of Honor Recipients

1. Sgt. Thomas Boyne – C Troop; Victorio Campaign, 1879
2. Pvt. John Denny – C Troop; Victorio Campaign, 1879
3. Cpl. Clinton Greaves – C Troop; Apache Campaign, 1877
4. Pvt. Henry Johnson – K Troop; Ute Campaign, 1879
5. Sgt. George Jordan – K Troop; Victorio Campaign, 1879
6. Sgt. Thomas Shaw – K Troop; Apache Campaign, 1881
7. Sgt. Emanuel Stance – F Troop; Texas, 1870
8. Sgt. Augustus Walley – E Troop; Apache Campaign, 1881
9. 1st Sgt. Moses Williams – I Troop; Apache Campaign, 1890
10. Cpl. William O. Wilson – I Troop; Pine Ridge Campaign, 1890
11. Sgt. Brent Woods – B Troop; Apache Campaign, 1881

10th Cavalry Medal of Honor Recipients

12. Sgt. Mjr. Edward L. Baker, Jr. – Spanish-American War, 1898
13. Pvt. Dennis Bell – H Troop; Spanish-American War, 1898
14. Pvt. Fitz Lee – M Troop; Spanish-American War, 1898
15. Sgt. William McBryar – K Troop; Apache Campaign, 1890
16. Cpl. William Tompkins – B Troop; Paymaster Escort, 1889
17. Pvt. George H. Wanton – M Troop; Spanish-American War 1898

24th Infantry Medal of Honor Recipients

18. Sgt. Benjamin Brown – C Troop; Paymaster Escort, 1889
19. Cpl. Isaiah Mays – B Troop; Paymaster Escort, 1889

Seminole Negro Indian Scouts Medal of Honor Recipients

20. Pvt. Pompey Factor – 24th Infantry; Staked Plans Expedition, 1875
21. Pvt. Adam Paine – 24th Infantry; Comanche Campaign, 1874
22. Trumpeter Isaac Payne – 24th Infantry; Staked Plans Expedition, 1875
23. Sgt. John Ward – 24th Infantry; Staked Plains Expedition, 1875

There are four other names that every Trooper should know. They may not be Medal of Honor recipients but many would consider them just as deserving for what they had to endure. Thirteen Black cadets matriculated at West Point between 1865 and 1915. Only three of them graduated. They were not so much hazed as ostracized. The treatment they received at West Point was shameful. After the first three had graduated from West Point, it would not be until 1936 that another Black cadet would graduate from the military academy.

They were:

• Lt. Henry O. Flipper – Graduated 1877
• Lt James H. Alexander – Graduated 1887
• Lt. Charles Young – Graduated 1889
• Lt. Benjamin O. Davis Jr. – Graduated 1936

For more information on these Medal of Honor recipients refer to Frank N. Schubert’s book “Black Valor – Buffalo Soldiers and the Medal of Honor, 1870 – 1898.”

Trooper Ron Jones

1 comment:

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