African American soldier Warren Capers was recommended for a Silver Star for his actions during the Allied invasion of France. She was one of the two only African-American female volunteers in the midst of the war-torn Spanish Republican areas. The French military had reframed the debate for African Americans at home, in that France recognized that Blacks had an "important combatant role in the defence of the nation". Stowers died from his wounds, but his men continued the fight and eventually defeated the German troops. [60], On October 4, 1935, Fascist Italy invaded Ethiopia. The event that really pulled America from the grip of the Depression, however, was the advent of World War II. For example, the 369th Infantry Regiment, known as the "Harlem Hellfighters", was assigned to the French Army and served on the front lines for six months. The second global war, also known as Second World War (WW2), occurred in 1939 and did not end till 1945. 1st Marine Pioneers, Presidential Unit Citation, First Marine Division, Reinforced, Assault and seizure of Peleliu and Ngesebus, Palau Islands, Part II. Leon and other members of the all African-American 183rd unit witnessed Buchenwald several days after liberation. During the Second World War over half-a-million African troops served with the British Army as combatants and non-combatants in campaigns in the Horn of Africa,. [101] For some time the men slept in tents, but the disparity of treatment was obvious even to the Navy. A film about the early life of the baseball star in the army, particularly his court-martial for insubordination regarding segregation. [131][132][133][134], In 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson presented the Medal of Honor to U.S. Army Specialist Five Lawrence Joel, for a "very special kind of couragethe unarmed heroism of compassion and service to others." In April the Navy announced it would enlist African Americans in the Seabees. These African American service men and women . [citation needed], On January 22, 2021, Lloyd Austin became the first African-American Secretary of Defense. Among the most crucial and difficult of Quartermaster responsibilities was burial of the dead and the construction of temporary and permanent cemeteries. Portrait of Sergeant Leon Bass during World War II. Users can search by name or regiment, or they can explore topics such as Ethnicity, Race, and the Military. John F. Kennedy sitting next to his brother Joseph Kennedy Jr, whose plane was shot down in World War II. Clip from the Fighting For the Right to Fight Electronic Field Trip. Modern scholars estimate blacks made up between 15 and 20%, of the American naval forces in the War of 1812. Germany attempted to sway the African American troops with propaganda challenging their race-related rights back in the United States. Units were in training when the war ended, and none served in combat.[26]. Read more about Dorie Miller here, and listen to him featured in Minisode134 on the Museum'sService On Celluloid podcast. Today's African American Sailors stand proudly knowing the accomplishments of their predecessors, including the eight black Sailors who earned the Medal of Honor during the Civil War; Dick Henry Turpin, one of the survivors of the explosion aboard the battleship Maine; and the 14 black female yeomen who enlisted during World War I. View the list of all donors. [citation needed], The first black American to fight in the Marines was John Martin, also known as Keto, the slave of a Delaware man, recruited in April 1776 without his owner's permission by Captain of the Marines Miles Pennington of the Continental brig USS Reprisal. General Patton stated: "Everyone has their eyes on you and is expecting great things from you. Du Bois declared an acceptable fall-back in the effort. Lord Dunmore, the Royal Governor of Virginia, issued an emancipation proclamation in November 1775, promising freedom to runaway slaves who fought for the British; Sir Henry Clinton issued a similar edict in New York in 1779. He is the only military member, as of 2016, to receive both awards. The history of African Americans in the U.S. Civil War is marked by 186,097 (7,122 officers, 178,975 enlisted)[25] African-American men, comprising 163 units, who served in the Union Army during the Civil War, and many more African Americans served in the Union Navy. [6][7], During the War of 1812, about one-quarter of the personnel in the American naval squadrons of the Battle of Lake Erie were black, and portrait renderings of the battle on the wall of the nation's Capitol and the rotunda of Ohio's Capitol show that blacks played a significant role in it. Integration of Negro and White Troops in the U.S. Army, Europe, 1952-1954. More than one and a half million African Americans served in the United States military forces during World War II. [27] The most noted among this group were the Buffalo Soldiers: At the end of the U.S. Civil War the army reorganized and authorized the formation of two regiments of black cavalry (the 9th and 10th US Cavalry). [101] Manana Barracks and Waiawa Gulch became the United States' largest colored military installation with over 4,000 Seabee stevedores segregated there. At the end of the nineteenth century . 1. [122] Congress discontinued the blue discharge in 1947,[123] but the VA continued its practice of denying G. I. Samuel L. Gravely, Jr. became a commissioned officer the same year; he would later be the first African American to command a US warship, and the first to be an admiral. [46], African Americans were typically placed into labour battalions with around 160,000 of the 200,000 African Americans who were shipped out to France in 1917 finding themselves placed in one. 1. The blue discharge (also called a "blue ticket") was a form of administrative discharge created in 1916 to replace two previous discharge classifications, the administrative discharge without honor and the "unclassified" discharge. Major cultural, social, and economic shifts amid a global conflict played out in the lives of these Americans. By the time it was over nearly the entire 17th CB had volunteered alongside them. Many were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, and Bronze Star. On January 13, 1997, President Bill Clinton, in a White House ceremony, awarded the nation's highest military honorthe Medal of Honorto seven African-American servicemen who had served in World War II.[116]. Mary McLeod Bethune, member of President Roosevelt's "Black Cabinet," along with the First Lady, established a 10 percent quota for the WAAC. The military history of African Americans spans from the arrival of the first enslaved Africans during the colonial history of the United States to the present day. Image: Photo12/UIG/Getty Images. Many African Americans who were in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade had Communist ideals. Training in twin engine B-25 Mitchell bombers, the 477th never actually saw combat overseas, but fought another battle here in the United States. Both free African Americans and runaway slaves joined the fight. Famous African American Soldiers During WW2. After the Treaty of Paris, the islands of the Philippines became a colony of the United States. Civil-rights leaders protested this disparity during the early years of the war, prompting reforms that were implemented in 196768 resulting in the casualty rate dropping to slightly higher than their percentage of the total population. Kirkels, Mieke and Dickon, Chris (2020). This African-American combat patrol advanced three miles north of Lucca, Italy (furthermost point occupied by American troops) to make the attack. Many African Americans expected the regular Army troopers of the Buffalo Soldiers to be part of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) sent to France to battle the Kaiser. The 369th Infantry Regiment, which became known as the "Harlem Hellfighters," was an all-African American unit in World War I. His defection was likely the result of differential treatment by American occupational forces toward black soldiers, as well as common American forces derogatory treatment and views of the Filipino occupational resistance, who were frequently referred to as "niggers" and "gugus". 317 to 327, inclusive; Nos. They were the first fully integrated units in the U.S. [19], "Despite Southern attempts to restrict their movements with the Negro Seaman Acts, African American sailors continued to enlist in the Navy in substantial numbers throughout the 1820s and 1830s. U.S. Army. "[5] The policy was formulated to set a higher standard of unit cohesion for Marines, with the unit to be made up of only one race, so that the members would remain loyal, maintain shipboard discipline and help put down mutinies. An Interactive Webcast Examining African American Experiences in World War II. The Field Depot Marines are recorded as again having humped ammunition, to the front lines on the stretchers they brought the wounded back on and picked up rifles to become infantrymen. Here are 10 famous people who served during the Great War. [102][103][104][105][106][107] According to the Military History Encyclopedia on the Web, were it not for the "Black Marine shore party personal" the counterattack on the 7th Marines would not have been repulsed.[108]. Miller, Richard E. "The Golden Fourteen, Plus: Black Navy Women in World War One". 184th Field Artillery Regiment, Illinois National Guard, 930th Field Artillery Battalion, Illinois National Guard, 931st Field Artillery Battalion, Illinois National Guard. Aptheker, Herbert. [75], During World War II, African-American soldiers served in all fields of service. [5] At least 12 other black men served with various American Marine units in 17761777; more may have been in service but not identified as blacks in the records. Eugene Ashley, Jr., and SFC. It asked that the French not integrate the Black troops into French society:[55]. The prediction of equality by W.E.B. As an 18-year-old, he volunteered to join the US Army in 1943. The Truce (1997) R | 125 min | Drama, War . But it was pitted against an underlying unwillingness by the War Department to become a vehicle for social change. A substantial reward was offered for Fagen, who was considered a traitor. [5] The USMC maintained this policy until 1942. [33] He became a successful guerrilla leader and his capture became an obsession to the U.S. military and American public. "[124] While the directive was issued in 1963, it was not until 1967 that the first non-military establishment was declared off-limits. He later went on to become the first African-American general in the United States Air Force. The YMCA work provided entertainment, recreation, and education to the vast majority of African American troops as they had more time on their hands since they served in labor battalions.[58]. Like most of America, the U.S. Army was segregated by race . Full Broadcast Learn More. Explore profiles, oral histories, photographs, and artifactshonoring AfricanAmerican contributions to World War IIfromthe Museum's collection. Sergeant Ashley's medal was posthumously awarded to his family at the White House by Vice President Spiro T. Agnew on December 2, 1969. Du Bois, Paul Robeson and others speak about the impending disaster. . Doris 'Dorie' Miller, WWII Navy Cross Recipient. [65], Many years later Haile Selassie I would comment on the efforts: "We can never forget the help Ethiopia received from Negro Americans during the crisis. Although he managed to push through racism, that wasn . In 1990, under pressure from Congress, the Department of the Army launched an investigation. However, the Army capped the total number of African American nurses accepted to 56, and would not lift this cap until 1944. Gilbert maintained that the orders would have meant certain death for himself and the men in his command. In this lecture, hearHistorian Dr. Kristen D. Burton, Lecturer of US History at The University of Alberta, delve into the life, artistry, and espionage of a true icon of the generation. The text of the proclamation has been widely published, and copies of the printed original are in UK National Archives WO 1/143 f31 and ADM 1/508 f579. All-black units were formed in Rhode Island and Massachusetts; many were slaves promised freedom for serving in lieu of their masters; another all-African-American unit came from Haiti with French forces. During the summer and fall of 1919, anti-Black race riots erupted in 26 cities across America. Tommy Prince was a First Nations soldier born in Canada in 1915. Black soldiers, who continued to serve in segregated units, were involved in protest against racial injustice o n the home . Formed as an all-Black unit, it became famous not for its combat record, but for its fight against the military version of separate but equal.. The trial was observed by the then young lawyer Thurgood Marshall and ended in conviction of all of the defendants. The first African-American woman sworn into the Navy Nurse Corps was Phyllis Mae Dailey, a Columbia University student from New York. His medal was presented posthumously to his wife, Eula Pitts, by President Lyndon B. Johnson. Robert L. Howard was born on July 11, 1939, in Opelika, Alabama. In what would be known as the PhilippineAmerican War, the U.S. military also sent colored regiments and units to stop the insurrection. [citation needed], On August 6, 2020, Charles Q. Ernest Hemingway. "First your country, then your rights!" After World War I broke out, more than 200,000 American black soldiers, mostly from the South, came to France to fight for freedom and democracy - something they didn't have back in their own country. He was joined first by Clarence Samuels on August 31, 1943, and then by Harvey C. Russell Jr. in February 1944.[74]. By 1943 the 99th had become a combat unit ([5]). [28], These regiments served at a variety of posts in the southwest United States and Great Plains regions. In addition to serving in the Vietnam War, Korean War and World War II, he also received the Medal of Honor and the Air Force Cross. [1] Ray Raphael notes that while thousands did join the Loyalist cause, "A far larger number, free as well as slave, tried to further their interests by siding with the patriots."[2]. In 1940, African troops comprised roughly 9% of the French army. No black platoon received a ranking of "poor" by those white officers or white soldiers that fought with them. The only living recipient was First Lieutenant Vernon Baker. African American newspaper the Pittsburgh Courierlaunched the Double Vcampaign with a letter by 26-year-old James G. Thompson, stating: "Should I sacrifice my life to live half American? Will things be better for the next generation in the peace to follow? It therefore becomes necessary for both the colored and white races that undue mixing of these two be circumspectly prevented. Many historians have written about the famous "Buffalo Soldiers" of the all-Black 92nd Infantry Division, who fought with distinction during World War II. Two enlisted men from the 24th Infantry Regiment (still a segregated unit), Cornelius H. Charlton and William Thompson, posthumously received the Medal of Honor for actions during the war. Willy F. James, Jr. was one of seven African Americans to receive the Medal of Honor for service in World War II, an award delayed decades by bias and discrimination. "[14] The Commodore was correct, the men did not run, one such man was young sailor Harry Jones (no.35), apparently a free black. In response, and because of manpower shortages, Washington lifted the ban on black enlistment in the Continental Army in January 1776. In April 1943, the Tuskegee-trained 99th Pursuit Squadron becamethe first African American flying squadron to see combat. These men are as follows: Sergeant First Class Melvin Morris, SFC. Antonio Tabares, an Emporia native, was working for Bethlehem . It also made it illegal, per military law, to make a racist remark. Despite their protests, these brave[according to whom?] Segregated units in WWII held some amazing accomplishments. In 1869, the four infantry regiments were merged into two new ones (the 24th and 25th US Infantry). a play by Michael Bradford depicting African-American World War II soldiers and the troubles they encounter upon returning home to the Deep South. These platoons were often subject to racist treatment by white military units in occupied Germany and were quickly sent back to their old segregated units after the end of hostilities in Germany. The proposal was approved, but not acted on. Miller had voluntarily manned an anti-aircraft gun and fired at the Japanese aircraft, despite having no prior training in the weapon's use. UNIT AWARDS, Section 1, Navy-Marine Corps Awards Manual(Rev 1953) p. 15 Naval History and Heritage Command, The Right to Fight: African American Marines in WWII, Peleliu and Iwo Jima, Bernard C. Naulty, Marine Corps Historical Center, Building 58, Washington Navy Yard, Washington D.C. 20374, 1974, PCN 190-003132-00. [citation needed]. "Every military commander", the Directive mandates, "has the responsibility to oppose discriminatory practices affecting his men and their dependents and to foster equal opportunity for them, not only in areas under his immediate control, but also in nearby communities where they may gather in off-duty hours. Approximately 25,000 were killed in battle. The Courier printed instructions on how to appeal a blue discharge and warned its readers not to quickly accept a blue ticket out of the service because of the negative effect it would likely have on their lives. Bainbridge concluded by informing the Southard "I ordered the Recruiting Officer not to enter anymore until further notice. White soldiers wagered that black soldiers wouldn't jump from planes. Throughout the history of the United States, African American nurses have served with courage and distinction. After the Indian Wars ended in the 1890s, the regiments continued to serve and participated in the SpanishAmerican War (including the Battle of San Juan Hill), where five more Medals of Honor were earned. Yet almost 900 African-American troops took part in the battle of Iwo Jima, including Sgt McPhatter. African Americans also served with various of the South Carolina guerrilla units, including that of the "Swamp Fox", Francis Marion,[4] half of whose force sometimes consisted of free Blacks. Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. served as commander of the Tuskegee Airmen during the war. 811 and Nos. [citation needed]. [23], A number of African Americans in the Army during the MexicanAmerican War were servants of the officers who received government compensation for the services of their servants or slaves. Italian epic war film set primarily in Italy during German-occupied Europe in World War II. [76] These platoons would serve with distinction and, according to an Army survey in the summer of 1945, 84% were ranked "very well" and 16% were ranked "fairly well". African Americans in World War II The Pittsburgh Courier was one of the most influential African American newspapers of WW II and the source of what came to be called the Double V Campaign. September 7, 1944. 49, no. Hannibal Collins, a freed slave and Oliver Hazard Perry's personal servant, is thought to be the oarsman in William Henry Powell's Battle of Lake Erie. Among those pictured is Leon Bass (the soldier third from left). Salaria Kea was a young African-American nurse from Harlem Hospital who served as a military nurse with the American Medical Bureau in the Spanish Civil War. A Tuskegee Airman. The 34th also built the Joint Communications Station at Awase. The Pittsburgh Courier was one of the most influential African American newspapers of WWII, and the source of what came to be called the Double V Campaign. Powell was the first, and is so far the only, African American to hold that position. She left Turkey in July 1943 and began working for the . Henry Johnson of Albany, N.Y., who, though riding in a car for the wounded, was so moved by . He was a crewman aboard the West Virginia in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The 761st "Black Panther" Tank Battalion in World War II: An Illustrated History of the First African American Armored Unit to See Combat. Henry Johnson. Many historians have written about the famous Buffalo Soldiers of the all-Black 92nd Infantry Division, who fought with distinction during World War II. [67] Peck was credited with shooting down five Aviacin Nacional planes, two Heinkel He-51s from the Legion Condor and three Fiat CR.32 Fascist Italian fighters. World War II that saw action during the ; the Battle . He then went on to serve in the Spanish Republican Air Force until 1938. At parades, church services, in transportation and canteens the races were kept separate. These units were composed of black enlisted men commanded by white officers such as Benjamin Grierson, and occasionally, an African-American officer such as Henry O. Flipper. [9] Collins earned his freedom as a veteran of the Revolutionary War, having fought in the Battle of Rhode Island. An act of heroic self-sacrifice highlighted the dedicated service of the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion, a segregated African American unit that bolstered American forces in Western Europe during World War II. Nov. 17, 1944. Part 2. [99] V-J Day brought the decommissioning of all of them. info@nationalww2museum.org Peleliu, battle for (Operation Stalemate II) The Pacific War's Forgotten Battle, SeptemberNovember 1944, (section: Hitting the Beach, 3rd paragraph), Military History Encyclopedia on the Web, by: Peter D Antill, Tristan Dugdale-Pointon, and Dr John Rickard. These labour battalions were viewed as being the "dregs of the military forces" and the men in them were "driven to the brink of physical and emotional exhaustion". Unit subsequently reorganized and redesignated as the 349th Field Artillery Group. In every war fought by or within the United States, African Americans participated, including the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the MexicanAmerican War, the Civil War, the SpanishAmerican War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the War in Afghanistan, and the Iraq War. Many were also interned in German labor camps and thousands of black prisoners of war were murdered by the Wehrmacht. We would like to thank Crown Family Philanthropies and the Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation for supporting the ongoing work to create content and resources for the Holocaust Encyclopedia. McFarland Publications p. 52. The case led to worldwide protests and increased attention to segregation and racism in the U.S. military. In 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea and the United States entered to war. [63] Most volunteers were blocked from leaving the United States due to the American government's desire to remain neutral in the conflict. Betty Tank (1910-2007) Helen (Betty) Elizabeth Tank traveled to England in August 1939 and was stranded there by the outbreak of World War II. And U.S. military leaders themselves did not want them in Iceland, Greenland, Labrador and the British Isles. Unit subsequently reorganized and redesignated the 351st Field Artillery Group. Pioneer Infantry Battalions, Nos. It was neither honorable nor dishonorable. Ball served with Commodore Joshua at the Battle of Bladensburg and later helped man the defenses at Baltimore. Though most African-American units were largely relegated to support roles and did not see combat, some African Americans played a notable role in America's war effort. These figures included over one-third of all able-bodied Native American men aged 18 to 50, and even included as high as seventy percent of the population of some tribes. He accompanied Perry for the rest of Perry's naval career, and was with him at Perry's death in Trinidad in 1819.[10]. Integration of the Armed Forces, 1940-1965. A highlight from the permanentexhibitThe Arsenal of Democracy: The Herman and George R. Brown Salute to the Home Frontat The National WWII Museum. Las mejores ofertas para African American 8 x 10 Nurses Corp WWII estn en eBay Compara precios y caractersticas de productos nuevos y usados Muchos artculos con envo gratis! As a result, the Chinese subjected African Americans to anti-capitalist and anti-imperial brainwashing more than their white counterparts. Based on findings from this investigation, the Army Decorations Board approved the award of the Medal of Honor to Stowers. published summer, 1997", "How Blacks Upset The Marine Corps: 'New Breed' leathernecks are tackling racist vestiges", "Rhode Island African American Data: Hannibal Collins", "African American History & the Civil War (CWSS)", https://krex.k-state.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/2097/7065/MichaelDavis2011.pdf?sequence=1, http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/portsmouth/shipyard/sharptoc/judson.html, "The Role of the Buffalo Soldiers During the Plains Indian Wars", "History of the Eighth Illinois United States Volunteers", "A HOMAGE TO DAVID FAGEN, AFRICAN-AMERICAN SOLDIER IN THE PHILIPPINE REVOLUTION", "Rudy Rimando, "Interview with Historical Novelist William Schroder: Before Iraq, There Was the Philippines", November 28, 2004, hnn.us History news Network", "Private Silas Bradshaw, to Lieutenant Graster", "African-Americans Continue Tradition of Distinguished Service", "African American World War II Medal of Honor Recipients", "When fascist aggression in Ethiopia sparked a movement of Black solidarity", "The intertwined histories of the African American freedom struggle and Ethiopia's war against fascism", "Abraham Lincoln Brigade: Spanish Civil War History and Education: James Lincoln Holt Peck", "O'Reilly, Salaria Kee (19131991) The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed", "Phyllis Mae Dailey: First Black Navy Nurse The National WWII Museum Blog", "The Long Blue Line: Coast Guard Officers Jenkins and Russell Trailblazers of Ethnic Diversity in the American Sea services", "African American Platoons in World War II", "Plaque for African American D-Day veterans unveiled at Carew", "D-Day: African-American soldiers remembered for war efforts", "Black Soldiers Honored On 75th Anniversary of D-Day", "Shocking Racial Attitudes: Black G.I.s in Europe", "Historic California Posts: Camp Lockett", "The 28th Cavalry: The U.S. Army's Last Horse Cavalry Regiment", "Defending the Border: The Cavalry at Camp Lockett". James Peck was an African-American man from Pennsylvania who was turned down when he applied to become a military pilot in the US. "They weren't in the background at all . The Seabee record states that besides humping ammo and helping wounded they volunteered to man the line where the wounded had been, man 37mm artillery that had lost gun crews and volunteered for anything dangerous. African Americans also served on a number of naval vessels during the MexicanAmerican War, including the USS Treasure, and the USS Columbus. But World War I also inspired fresh resolve among African Americans to keeping working towards a racially-inclusive America that truly lived up to its claim to be the light of Democracy in the modern world. Four regiments of infantry (the 38th, 39th, 40th and 41st US Infantry) were formed at the same time. Edward S. Hope, U.S. Navy Seabee Museum, Naval History and Heritage Command, Port Hueneme, Ca., Published: Feb 26, 2020. African Americans in WW2. "Affirmative Action in the Military Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science", Vol. 3. This is in some dispute. Item View General Powell's four-year term as Chairman ended in 1993. This resulted in a brief but important experiment in the employment of African American troops as infantry soldiers with significance that extended well beyond V-E Day. 15 USN Special Construction Battalions (stevedore) were segregated. The U.S. Army in World War II: The Employment of Negro Troops. They say it is patriotic to die for your country.". Timeline: African Americans in the Civil War. Most of all your race is looking forward to your success. In 1974, Camp Montford Point was renamed Camp Gilbert H. Johnson in honor of the African American sergeant major who served as a drill instructor there. Most notably, Eugene Bullard and Bob Scanlon joined the French Foreign Legion within weeks of the start of the war. Being the only non-colonized African country besides Liberia, the invasion of Ethiopia caused a profound response amongst African Americans. Authorization for the formation of cargo handling CBs or "Special CBs" happened mid-September 1942. A 1952 movie, The Red Ball Express,[85] brought more attention to the effort, but underplayed its African American aspect.[86]. Wikimedia Commons. Born in 1899, Ernest Hemingway was . A rally held at Madison Square Garden on Sept. 26, less than a week before the invasion, brought out more than 10,000 to hear civil rights leader W.E.B. Samuel Daniels, head of the Pan-African Reconstruction Association, toured major American cities to recruit volunteers. Secretary of War Newton D. Baker had made it clear that, though African Americans would be fairly treated in the military, the department could not "undertake at this time to settle the so-called race question. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, 1999. 15th Special Naval Construction Battalion, 17th Special Naval Construction Battalion, 20th Special Naval Construction Battalion, 21st Special Naval Construction Battalion, 22nd Special Naval Construction Battalion, 23rd Special Naval Construction Battalion, 30th Special Naval Construction Battalion. In 1942, he told the War Department that, by his research, Black troops would not be welcomed for various reasons in Australia, Alaska, most of the south Caribbean nations, the British West Indies, Panama and Liberia. [126], Jesse L. Brown became the U.S. Navy's first black aviator in October 1948. He earned several awards including the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal and the .