The names of and information about the 332nd Infantry's soldiers and other Americans included in this section is, unfortunately, limited due to lack of available documentation.
To help insure that this list is as complete and accurate as possible you are invited and requested to share any additional information, including photographs and images of documents and articles, that you may have about members of the 332nd Infantry, other U.S. military or civilians who were awarded Italian citations and/or medals for their service on the Italian Front in WWI. Document the information as best you can.
Please go to the Share a Profile of U.S. Service in WWI Italy page for instructions and suggestions for submitting information.
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Italian War Service Ribbon
" Macaroni Bar "
ALL MEMBERS OF THE 332nd INFANTRY who served on the Italian Front in WWI were awarded the Italian War Service Ribbon. This was the only foreign award that the soldiers of the 332nd Infantry were officially authorized to wear .
"About the first of December [1918] we received a red, white and green service stripe from the Italian government which denoted four months service on the Italian front. This was immediately christened the "Macaroni Bar." "
( Lettau, Joseph L. In Italy With the 332nd Infantry. Youngstown, O.: J.L. Lettau, 1921.)
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Italian War Merit Cross
( Croce al merito di guerra )
SEVERAL 332nd INFANTRY SOLDIERS WERE AWARDED ITALY'S CROCE AL MERITO DI GUERRA but the list of recipients is limited since there is very little documentation (mainly newspaper, book, journal, and magazine articles or the soldiers' letters).
King Victor Emanuel III instituted the Croce al merito di Guerra on 19th January 1918, for war merit in land, sea, or air operations either for at least a year's service in the trenches or elsewhere in contact with the enemy, to those who were wounded in action and who had earned the award of the Medal for Wounded, to those who had performed acts of bravery but not warranting the award of the Medaglia al valore militare (Medal for Military Valor) or for those who had received promotion for a mention for war merit.
Read more: Italian War Merit Cross
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Italian Medal for Military Valor
(Medaglia al valore militare)
FIVE 332nd Infantry soldiers were awarded the Italian Bronze Medal for Military Valor and SEVEN 332nd Infantry soldiers were awarded the Italian Silver Medal for Military Valor according to the currently available documentation.
This medal was instituted in March 1833 by King Albert of Sardinia in three grades: gold (Medaglia d’oro al valor militare), silver (Medaglia d’argento al valor militare), and bronze (Medaglia di bronzo al valor militare). Awarded to officers and men of the armed forces for gallantry in action against the enemy. The gold medal is only awarded in exceptional circumstances and is very highly regarded as a supreme reward for heroic deeds — only either the bronze or silver medal were awarded to men of the 332nd Infantry.
Read more: Italian Medal Military Valor
332nd Infantry Soldiers Awarded
Italy's Medal for Military Valor
ALSTON, Harry G., Lt., Co. "D"
Italian Bronze Medal for Military Valor
Read more: ALSTON, Harry G.
BELL, Clarence E., Sergeant Co “D”
Italian Bronze Medal for Military Valor
Read more: BELL, Clarence E.
GERTZ, Ernest T., Private 1st Class, Co “E”
Italian Silver Medal for Military Valor
Read more: GERTZ, Ernest T.
HUBER, Andrew J., Private, Co. “G”
Italian Silver Medal for Military Valor
Read more: HUBER, Andrew J., Pvt., Co. “G”
JORDAN, Goff E., Sergeant., Co “E”
Italian Silver Medal for Military Valor
Read more: JORDAN, Goff E.
KELL, Charles A., Corporal, Co. “G”
Killed in Action
Italian Silver Medal for Military Valor
Read more: KELL, Charles A., Corp. KIA
PAHLAU, August D., Sergeant, Co “F”
Italian Silver Medal for Military Valor
Read more: PAHLAU, August D.
RICHARDSON, Albert S., Sergeant, Co. “H”
Italian Bronze Medal for Military Valor
Read more: RICHARDSON, Albert S.
SCANLAND, Frank M., Major, 2nd Battalion
Italian Silver Medal for Military Valor
Read more: SCANLAND, Frank M.
UTT, Henry W., Private, Co “G”
Italian Silver Medal for Military Valor
and Italian War Merit Cross
Read more: UTT, Henry W.
VAWTER, Fred B., Sergeant, Co “D”
Italian Bronze Medal for Military Valor
Read more: VAWTER, Fred B.
WHINNERY, Karl E., 1st Lieutenant, Co. "D"
Italian Bronze Medal for Military Valor
Read more: WHINNERY, Karl E.
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Genoa St George Medal
IL “PROVVEDIMENTO„ ED IL “PRO PATRIA„
AL VALOROSI
MCMXIX
"... the regiment was presented with a beautiful large flag of St. George, by the Genoese. The Colonel received a gold medal, several officers received silver ones and about a hundred men received bronze ones."
( Lettau, Joseph L. In Italy With the 332nd Infantry. Youngstown, O.: J.L. Lettau, 1921.)
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Saints Maurice & Lazarus Medal (House of Savoy)
[ L'Ordine dei Santi Maurizio e Lazzaro - Casa Savoia ]
Colonel William Wallace was presented, for the entire 332nd Infantry, with the Italian Cross of Saints Maurice & Lazarus medal in recognition of and in appreciation for service rendered by the regiment on the Italian Front.
In Col. Wallace's own words, "... a service as unique as any ever performed by United States soldiers." This decoration belongs "... no more to me than to every other member of that remarkable organization..." 1
The medal order, bestowed by King Vittorio Emanuele III, was the Italian state order for military and civilian merit in WWI.
Colonel Wallace was also the recipient of the gold Saint George medal present by Genoa (see above), and, for the regiment, the Distinguished Service Order from Great Britain.
1 Wallace, William. The 332nd United States Infantry's Italian Campaign, ca 1920, typescript, n.p.
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