MOST DECORATED US SERVICEMAN

MAJOR LOUIS CUKELA

With Memorial Day it seems proper and fitting to devote space to a man who was considered to be the most decorated United States service man - Major Louis Cukela, U.S. Marine, 66th Company of the 5th Regiment.

He was born May 1, 1888 in Sabanes, near Split, in what was then Austria. He entered American armed forces in Minneapolis, MN. Major Cukela died March 19, 1956 in the Naval Medical Center at Bethesda, MD and was buried in Sec. 1 of the Arlington National Cemetery, VA. His last years were spent as a resident of the Old Soldiers Home in the District of Washington.

A list of decorations bestowed upon him follows as supplied by the Dept. of the Navy:

Major Louis Culkela 0207, Retired (Deceased)

Medal of Honor (Navy) - 18 Jul 1918, France

Medal of Honor (Navy) - 18 Jul 1918, France

Silver Star Medal - 17 Apr 1918, France

Victory Medal with Aisne, Aisne Marne, St. Mihiel, Neuse-Argonne and Defensive Sector clasps and five bronze stars 1917-1918, World War I

Army of Occupation of Germany

Medal - 1918, Germany -

Haitian Campaign Medal - 19191920, Haiti

Expeditionary Medal with two bronze stars - 1920-1921, Haiti 1921-1923, Dominican Republic 1927-1929, China.

Yangtze Service Medal ;.. 1927, Shanghai, China

American Defense Service,Medal - 1939-1941, United States

American Campaign Medal. - 1941-1946, American Area

Victory Medal - 1941-1946, World War 11

Legion of Honor (French) - 1918, France

Medal Militaire (French) - 1918, France

French Croix de Guerre with two Palms and one Silver Star - 1918-, France

Was previously, awarded 2nd Division Citation - SSM later authorized.

Charlotte Muzar/Lodge 351

Zajednicar

May 23, 01