Medal of Honor Recipient: Quartermaster Frank Bois
Rank and organization: Quartermaster, U.S.
Navy. Entered service at: Northampton,
Mass. Born: 1841, Canada. Date of
issue: 24 November 1916.
G.O. No.: 17, 10 July 1863.
Citation: Served as quartermaster on board the U.S.S. Cincinnati during the
attack on the Vicksburg
batteries and at the time of her sinking, 27 May 1863. Engaging the enemy in a fierce
battle, the Cincinnati,
amidst an incessant fire of shot and shell, continued to fire her guns to the
last, though so penetrated by enemy shellfire that her fate was sealed.
Conspicuously cool in making signals throughout the battle, Bois, after all the
Cincinnati's staffs had been shot away, succeeded in nailing the flag to the
stump of the forestaff to enable this proud ship to go down, "with her
colors nailed to the mast."
Medal of Honor Recipient: Lieutenant Colonel James H. Howard
Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army
Air Corps. Place and date: Over Oschersleben,
Germany, 11 January 1944. Entered
service at: St. Louis, Mo. Birth: Canton, China.
G.O. No.: 45, 5 June 1944.
Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call
of duty in action with the enemy near Oschersleben,
Germany, on 11 January 1944. On that
day Col. Howard was the leader of a group of P51 aircraft providing support for
a heavy bomber formation on a long-range mission deep in enemy territory. As
Col. Howard's group met the bombers in the target area the bomber force was
attacked by numerous enemy fighters. Col. Howard, with his group, and at once
engaged the enemy and himself destroyed a German ME. 110. As a result of this
attack Col. Howard lost contact with his group, and at once returned to the
level of the bomber formation. He then saw that the bombers were being heavily
attacked by enemy airplanes and that no other friendly fighters were at hand.
While Col. Howard could have waited to attempt to assemble his group before
engaging the enemy, he chose instead to attack single-handed a formation of
more than 30 German airplanes. With utter disregard for his own safety he
immediately pressed home determined attacks for some 30 minutes, during which
time he destroyed 3 enemy airplanes and probably destroyed and damaged others.
Toward the end of this engagement 3 of his guns went out of action and his fuel
supply was becoming dangerously low. Despite these handicaps and the almost
insuperable odds against him, Col. Howard continued his aggressive action in an
attempt to protect the bombers from the numerous fighters. His skill, courage,
and intrepidity on this occasion set an example of heroism which will be an
inspiration to the U.S. Armed Forces.
Medal of Honor Recipient: Corporal Edward F. Murphy
Rank and organization: Corporal, Company D, 5th U.S.
Cavalry. Place and date: At Milk River, Colo., 29 September 1879. Entered service at:------.
Birth: Wayne County, Pa. [)ate of issue: 23 April 1880.
Citation: Gallantry in
action.
Medal of Honor Recipient: Landsman John S. Lann
Rank and organization: Landsman, U.S.
Navy. Born: 1842 Rochester,
N.Y. Accredited to: New York. G.O. No.: 59, 22 June 1865.
Citation: As
landsman on board the U.S.S. Magnolia, St.
Marks, Fla., 5 and 6
March, Lann served with the Army in charge of Navy howitzers during the attack
on St. Marks and throughout this fierce engagement made remarkable efforts in
ass1sting transport of the gun. His coolness and determination in standing by
his gun while under the fire of the enemy were a credit to the service to which
he belonged.