WWI
WWI
23
23
0
WWI HERO RETURNS TO SERVICE
Sergeant Louis Van Iersel, 47, was one of America’s outstanding heroes of World War I and a Medal of Honor recipient. He is pictured here at the USMC recruiting headquarters in Los Angeles, being sworn in for service in World War II. (U.S. Office of War Information)
The Los Angeles Times reported that Sergeant Van Iersel was, at the time, the first noncitizen ever awarded the nation’s highest military honor. He was also the recipient of 14 other American and French decorations for heroism during WWI. (Los Angeles Times)
Shortly after emigrating to the United States from the Netherlands, Van Irsel enlisted in the army in 1917 and became a naturalized U.S, citizen in 1919. When WWII broke out, the former soldier tried to reenlist but was turned down because of his age.
Still wanting to serve his adopted country, Van Iersel enlisted in the Marine Corps and served with the 3d Marine Div. in the Bougainville Campaign. His three sons also served. All survived the war.
According to Van Iersel's Medal of Honor citation, as a member of a recon patrol sent out at night to ascertain the condition of a damaged bridge, he volunteered to lead a party across the bridge in the face of heavy machine-gun and rifle fire from a range of only 75 yards. Crawling alone amongst the debris on the ruined bridge, he came upon a trap that gave way and dropped him into the water. Despite the swift current, he succeeded in swimming across the stream and found a lodging place among the timbers on the opposite bank. Disregarding the enemy fire, he made a careful investigation of the hostile position defending the bridge and then returned to where the others waited on the far shore and
reported the valuable information he'd gathered to the battalion commander.
After the war, Van Irsel returned to Los Angeles and resumed his career as a city engineer. In later years, he relocated to Roseburg, Oregon, where he passed away on 9 June 1987 at the age of 93. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Lest We Forget.
#ww2uncovered #worldwar2 #ww2 #WWII #WorldWarII #usmc #ww2history #Hero #worldwartwo #greatestgeneration #WWI #ww2veteran #MedalofHonor #semperfi #usmcveteran #usmcvet #usarmy #Salute #SaluteToService #lestweforget #remember
Original description and photo courtesy U.S. Office of War Information, USMC Archive, Los Angeles Times, and ancestry.com.
Sergeant Louis Van Iersel, 47, was one of America’s outstanding heroes of World War I and a Medal of Honor recipient. He is pictured here at the USMC recruiting headquarters in Los Angeles, being sworn in for service in World War II. (U.S. Office of War Information)
The Los Angeles Times reported that Sergeant Van Iersel was, at the time, the first noncitizen ever awarded the nation’s highest military honor. He was also the recipient of 14 other American and French decorations for heroism during WWI. (Los Angeles Times)
Shortly after emigrating to the United States from the Netherlands, Van Irsel enlisted in the army in 1917 and became a naturalized U.S, citizen in 1919. When WWII broke out, the former soldier tried to reenlist but was turned down because of his age.
Still wanting to serve his adopted country, Van Iersel enlisted in the Marine Corps and served with the 3d Marine Div. in the Bougainville Campaign. His three sons also served. All survived the war.
According to Van Iersel's Medal of Honor citation, as a member of a recon patrol sent out at night to ascertain the condition of a damaged bridge, he volunteered to lead a party across the bridge in the face of heavy machine-gun and rifle fire from a range of only 75 yards. Crawling alone amongst the debris on the ruined bridge, he came upon a trap that gave way and dropped him into the water. Despite the swift current, he succeeded in swimming across the stream and found a lodging place among the timbers on the opposite bank. Disregarding the enemy fire, he made a careful investigation of the hostile position defending the bridge and then returned to where the others waited on the far shore and
reported the valuable information he'd gathered to the battalion commander.
After the war, Van Irsel returned to Los Angeles and resumed his career as a city engineer. In later years, he relocated to Roseburg, Oregon, where he passed away on 9 June 1987 at the age of 93. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Lest We Forget.
#ww2uncovered #worldwar2 #ww2 #WWII #WorldWarII #usmc #ww2history #Hero #worldwartwo #greatestgeneration #WWI #ww2veteran #MedalofHonor #semperfi #usmcveteran #usmcvet #usarmy #Salute #SaluteToService #lestweforget #remember
Original description and photo courtesy U.S. Office of War Information, USMC Archive, Los Angeles Times, and ancestry.com.
WWI
WWII World War Two
Military History
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google