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Staten Island Medal of Honor Recipients
Contributed by: Matt Murphy http://matt.murphy.net/
- reportedly the only person to have served in all four of the armed forces.
Source: Medal of Honor Recipients and related pages.
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GREIG, THEODORE W. |
| Time Period | Civil War |
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Rank and organization |
Second Lieutenant, Company C, 61st New York Infantry. |
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Place and date |
At Antietam, Md., 17 September 1862. |
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Entered service at |
Staten Island, N.Y. |
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Birth |
New York. |
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Date of issue |
10 February 1887. |
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Citation |
A Confederate regiment, the 4th Alabama Infantry (C.S.A.), having planted its battle flag slightly in advance of the regiment, this officer rushed forward and seized it, and, although shot through the neck, retained the flag and brought it within the Union lines. |
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KEELE, JOSEPH |
| Time Period | Civil War |
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Rank and organization |
Sergeant Major, 182d New York Infantry. |
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Place and date |
At North Anna River, Va., 23 May 1864. |
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Entered service at |
Staten Island, N.Y. |
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Birth |
Ireland. |
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Date of issue |
25 October 1867. |
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Citation |
Voluntarily and at the risk of his life carried orders to the brigade commander, which resulted in saving the works his regiment was defending. |
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*MERRELL, JOSEPH F. |
| Time Period | World War II |
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Rank and organization |
Private, U.S. Army, Company I, 15th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division. |
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Place and date |
Near Lohe, Germany, 18 April 1945. |
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Entered service at |
Staten Island, N.Y. |
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Birth |
Staten Island, N.Y. G.O. No. 21, 26 February 1946. |
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Citation |
He made a gallant, 1-man attack against vastly superior enemy forces near Lohe, Germany. His unit, attempting a quick conquest of hostile hill positions that would open the route to Nuremberg before the enemy could organize his defense of that city, was pinned down by brutal fire from rifles, machine pistols, and 2 heavy machineguns. Entirely on his own initiative, Pvt. Merrell began a single-handed assault. He ran 100 yards through concentrated fire, barely escaping death at each stride, and at pointblank range engaged 4 German machine pistolmen with his rifle, killing all of them while their bullets ripped his uniform. As he started forward again, his rifle was smashed by a sniper's bullet, leaving him armed only with 3 grenades. But he did not hesitate. He zigzagged 200 yards through a hail of bullets to within 10 yards of the first machinegun, where he hurled 2 grenades and then rushed the position ready to fight with his bare hands if necessary. In the emplacement he seized a Luger pistol and killed what Germans had survived the grenade blast. Rearmed, he crawled toward the second machinegun located 30 yards away, killing 4 Germans in camouflaged foxholes on the way, but himself receiving a critical wound in the abdomen. And yet he went on, staggering, bleeding, disregarding bullets which tore through the folds of his clothing and glanced off his helmet. He threw his last grenade into the machinegun nest and stumbled on to wipe out the crew. He had completed this self-appointed task when a machine pistol burst killed him instantly. In his spectacular 1-man attack Pvt. Merrell killed 6 Germans in the first machinegun emplacement, 7 in the next, and an additional 10 infantrymen who were astride his path to the weapons which would have decimated his unit had he not assumed the burden of the assault and stormed the enemy positions with utter fearlessness, intrepidity of the highest order, and a willingness to sacrifice his own life so that his comrades could go on to victory. |
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*BENFOLD, EDWARD C. |
| Time Period | Korea |
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Rank and organization |
Hospital Corpsman Third Class, U.S. Navy, attached to a company in the 1st Marine Division. |
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Place and date |
Korea, 5 September 1952. |
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Entered service at |
Philadelphia, Pa. |
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Born |
15 January 1931, Staten Island, N.Y. |
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Citation |
For gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving in operations against enemy aggressor forces. When his company was subjected to heavy artillery and mortar barrages, followed by a determined assault during the hours of darkness by an enemy force estimated at battalion strength, HC3c. Benfold resolutely moved from position to position in the face of intense hostile fire, treating the wounded and lending words of encouragement. Leaving the protection of his sheltered position to treat the wounded when the platoon area in which he was working was attacked from both the front and rear, he moved forward to an exposed ridge line where he observed 2 marines in a large crater. As he approached the 2 men to determine their condition, an enemy soldier threw 2 grenades into the crater while 2 other enemy charged the position. Picking up a grenade in each hand, HC3c Benfold leaped out of the crater and hurled himself against the on-rushing hostile soldiers, pushing the grenades against their chests and killing both the attackers. Mortally wounded while carrying out this heroic act, HC3c. Benfold, by his great personal valor and resolute spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of almost certain death, was directly responsible for saving the lives of his 2 comrades. His exceptional courage reflects the highest credit upon himself and enhances the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for others. |
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*CAPODANNO, VINCENT R. |
| Time Period | Vietnam |
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Rank and organization |
Lieutenant, U.S. Navy, Chaplain Corps, 3d Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein), FMF. |
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Place and date |
Quang Tin Province, Republic of Vietnam, 4 September 1967. |
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Entered service at |
Staten Island, N.Y. |
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Born |
13 February 1929, Staten Island, N.Y. |
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Citation |
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Chaplain of the 3d Battalion, in connection with operations against enemy forces. In response to reports that the 2d Platoon of M Company was in danger of being overrun by a massed enemy assaulting force, Lt. Capodanno left the relative safety of the company command post and ran through an open area raked with fire, directly to the beleaguered platoon. Disregarding the intense enemy small-arms, automatic-weapons, and mortar fire, he moved about the battlefield administering last rites to the dying and giving medical aid to the wounded. When an exploding mortar round inflicted painful multiple wounds to his arms and legs, and severed a portion of his right hand, he steadfastly refused all medical aid. Instead, he directed the corpsmen to help their wounded comrades and, with calm vigor, continued to move about the battlefield as he provided encouragement by voice and example to the valiant marines. Upon encountering a wounded corpsman in the direct line of fire of an enemy machine gunner positioned approximately 15 yards away, Lt. Capodanno rushed a daring attempt to aid and assist the mortally wounded corpsman. At that instant, only inches from his goal, he was struck down by a burst of machine gun fire. By his heroic conduct on the battlefield, and his inspiring example, Lt. Capodanno upheld the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the cause of freedom. |
*N.B. An asterisk in the citation indicates that the award was given posthumously.
No Medals of Honor were awarded for service in the Gulf War.
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