USS Ceres and the Battle of Monocacy, Maryland.
HAND, ALLEXANDER
Rank and organization: Quartermaster, U.S. Navy. Born: 1836, Delaware. Accredited to: Delaware. G.O. No.: 11 , 3 April 1 863. Citation: Served on board the U.S.S. Ceres in the fight near Hamilton, Roanoke River, 9 July 1862. Fired on by the enemy with small arms, Hand courageously returned the raking enemy fire and was spoken of for "good conduct and cool bravery under enemy fire," by the commanding officer.
KELLEY, JOHN
Rank and organization: Second Class Fireman, U.S. Navy. Birth: Ireland. Accredited to: Ireland. G.O. No.: 11, 3 April 1863. Citation: Served as second-class fireman on board the U.S.S. Ceres in the fight near Hamilton, Roanoke River, 9 July 1862. When his ship was fired on by the enemy with small arms, Kelley returned the raking fire, courageously carrying out his duties through the engagement and was spoken of for "good conduct and cool bravery under enemy fires," by the commanding officer. DAVIS, GEORGE E.
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, Company D, 10th Vermont Infantry. Place and date: At Monocacy, Md., 9 July 1864. Entered service at: Burlington, Vt. Birth: Dunstable, Mass. Date of issue: 27 May 1892. Citation: While in command of a small force, held the approaches to the 2 bridges against repeated assaults of superior numbers, thereby materially delaying Early's advance on Washington.
SCOTT, ALEXANDER
Rank and organization: Corporal, Company D, 10th Vermont Infantry. Place and date: At Monocacy, Md., 9 July 1864. Entered service at: Winooski, Vt. Birth: Canada. Date of issue: 28 September 1897. Citation: Under a very heavy fire of the enemy saved the national flag of his regiment from capture.
Next up - the Indian Campaigns. Three Medals for the same event. One wonders if these men went as a group (the most likely scenario), or went separately, each with copies of the dispatches, to better increase the chances of the dispatches getting through. One wonders, one does. Because going by yourself is a lot more scary (unless you know what you're doing and the other guys don't) than going as a group. The sharp-eyed reader will notice the year is different for Bell vice Evans and Stewart. The citation is from the official Army source. Based on the wording of the citations alone (leave aside the history of military operations in Montana) I'm guessing there's a typo for Bell, as Bell, Evans and Stewart are all on the company roster for Gibbon's "Montana Column" - and Gibbons would have been sending dispatches to Crook.
BELL, JAMES
Rank and organization: Private, Company E, 7th U.S. Infantry. Place and date: At Big Horn, Mont., 9 July 1875 [Probably should be 1876]. Entered service at:------. Birth: Ireland. Date of issue: 2 December 1876. Citation: Carried dispatches to Gen. Crook at the imminent risk of his life.
EVANS, WILLIAM
Rank and organization: Private, Company E, 7th U.S. Infantry. Place and date: At Big Horn, Mont., 9 July 1876. Entered service at: St. Louis, Mo. Birth: Ireland. Date of issue: 2 December 1876. Citation: Carried dispatches to Brig. Gen. Crook through a country occupied by Sioux.
STEWART, BENJAMIN F.
Rank and organization: Private, Company E, 7th U.S. Infantry. Place and date: At Big Horn River, Mont., 9 July 1876. Entered service at: ------. Birth: Norfolk, Va. Date of issue: 2 December 1876. Citation: Carried dispatches to Gen. Crook at imminent risk of his life.
We then move to the Interim Awards, 1871-1898, for another one of those naval lifesaving awards which today would be covered by the Navy and Marine Corps Medal.
LUCY, JOHN
Rank and organization: Second Class Boy, U.S. Navy. Born: 1859, New York, N.Y. Accredited to: New York. G.O. No.: 214, 27 July 1876. Citation: Displayed heroic conduct while serving on board the U.S. Training Ship Minnesota on the occasion of the burning of Castle Garden at New York, 9 July 1876.
The Medal takes a break for a while, to resurface in WWII, during one of the raids on the refinery at Ploesti, Romania.
*PUCKET, DONALD D. (Air Mission)
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Corps, 98th , Bombardment Group. Place and date: Ploesti Raid, Rumania, 9 July 1944. Entered service at: Boulder, Colo. Birth: Longmont, Colo. G.O. No.: 48, 23 June 1945. Citation: He took part in a highly effective attack against vital oil installation in Ploesti, Rumania, on 9 July 1944. Just after "bombs away," the plane received heavy and direct hits from antiaircraft fire. One crewmember was instantly killed and 6 others severely wounded. The airplane was badly damaged, 2 were knocked out, the control cables cut, the oxygen system on fire, and the bomb bay flooded with gas and hydraulic fluid. Regaining control of his crippled plane, 1st Lt. Pucket turned its direction over to the copilot. He calmed the crew, administered first aid, and surveyed the damage. Finding the bomb bay doors jammed, he used the hand crank to open them to allow the gas to escape. He jettisoned all guns and equipment but the plane continued to lose altitude rapidly. Realizing that it would be impossible to reach friendly territory he ordered the crew to abandon ship. Three of the crew, uncontrollable from fright or shock, would not leave. 1st Lt. Pucket urged the others to jump. Ignoring their entreaties to follow, he refused to abandon the 3 hysterical men and was last seen fighting to regain control of the plane. A few moments later the flaming bomber crashed on a mountainside. 1st Lt. Pucket, unhesitatingly and with supreme sacrifice, gave his life in his courageous attempt to save the lives of 3 others.
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