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DECEMBER 9, 2015 2021 || The The Jewish Jewish Home Home OCTOBER 29, OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home
Forgotten Her es
Medal of Honor Recipients in Lesser-Known Conflicts By Avi Heiligman
T
he curriculum of American history classes usually includes the main wars with U.S. involvement. The Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican-American War, Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Persian Gulf, War on Terror, and the Iraq War are the main focus of the military aspect of these classes. However, the United States has been involved in hundreds of missions since 1776, and many people have been decorated for bravery in lesser-known conflicts. Here are the stories of some of the recipients of medals of honor in these smaller operations. The Battle of Little Bighorn, also known as Custer’s Last Stand, took place in Montana on June 25, 1876. The battle has been studied by historians for the past 140 years, and still there are many unknowns about what went on. What is known is that Lt. Col. George Custer split the 7 th Cavalry into three detachments and his group was ambushed by an overwhelming force of Indians and was completely annihilated. There were 24 Medal of Honor recipients for bravery awarded in this battle, including one to a Jewish soldier from Ohio who was not in Custer’s detachment. Sergeant George Geiger, a Civil War veteran who spent time at the notorious Andersonville POW Camp, and three other marksmen from the 7 th Cavalry were in a position outside the main line of defense protecting a water source. For four hours, the men were in the vulnerable position, acting as decoys and laying down protective fire. Their bravery saved fifteen men who ran from the cavalry encampment to fetch water for the men in the detachment led by Major Marcus Reno. Geiger was awarded the Medal of Honor for these actions. The U.S. had been very busy in
William Seach
Daniel Daly receiving a medal of honor
the last decade of the 19th century, but they weren’t expecting to get involved with an uprising in China. Chinese revolutionaries, known as Boxers, detested Western influence, and some local governments and started an uprising. An Eight-Nation Alli-
with six other Americans when they came across 300 Chinese soldiers and held off the enemy attack with a bayonet charge. A week later, Seach ran across open ground to clear out machine gun nests, and the next day he successfully defended gun
When the retreating marines lost their only machine gun, Daniel Daly went back and retrieved the gun while fighting off several Haitians with his knife. ance including the U.S. sent tens of thousands of soldiers to China during the Boxer Revolution (1899-1901). The American contingent wasn’t so large, but 59 servicemen earned the Medal of Honor in the conflict that saw the Alliance win over the Boxers. William Seach was born in London and entered the U.S. Navy in 1898. He was sent to China with the relief expedition as an Ordinary Seaman. On June 13, 1900, Seach was
emplacements from a Chinese cavalry sabre attack. On June 22, he was with a unit that breached the walls of a fort and turned the fort’s cannons on the defenders. He was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Theodore Roosevelt who said to him, “I would rather have won a Congressional Medal of Honor than be President!” Seach stayed with the navy and during World War I was on a trans-
port ship that was sunk by a German submarine. He was injured in the sinking and was captured by the U-boat before being released. The French picked him up, and soon he was stateside recovering from his injuries. There have been nineteen servicemen, including seven marines, to have been awarded the Medal of Honor twice. Sergeant Major Daniel Daly from Glen Cove, New York, was one of these recipients and served in three wars. During the Boxer Revolution, he was with his captain during an intense firefight that had driven allies from their position. Daly and Captain Hall climbed the wall, and while Hall went to get reinforcements, Daly defended the position singlehandedly. Around 200 Chinese repeatedly attacked the position but Daly held firm until more soldiers came and drove off the enemy. The United States sent forces to Central America and the Caribbean to protect their interests from 18981934. Known as the Banana Wars, it involved several operations and subsequent wars. The Battle of Fort Diptie took place in October 1915 in Haiti when 41 marines under Major Smedley Butler (who also was a Medal of Honor recipient from the Boxer Revolution) were attacked while on a reconnaissance patrol. The attack continued through the night, and when the retreating marines lost their only machine gun, Daniel Daly went back and retrieved the gun while fighting off several Haitians with his knife. Daly received his second Medal of Honor for this action, and later in the next day the marines captured the fort. Daly went on to serve during World war I and was recommended for a third Medal of Honor for actions during the Battle of Belleau Woods. He was awarded the Navy Cross in-
