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The Distinguished Service Cross is the Army’s second highest military award for extraordinary heroism and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Only the Medal of Honor is higher.
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Following from The Wanderer: The Story of Sgt. Wesley Foster, written by Edward Hudson, about Captain O’Donnell’s citation. It came from the Illinois in the World War, Volume I, 1920:
“Father (Captain) John L. O’Donnell, the regimental chaplain, was in the thick fighting at the Bois du Fays, as he had been at Forges Wood, where he was with the first wave when the objective was reached. In the action at the Bois du Fays, he was in the front lines, caring for the wounded and directing the stretcher-bearers. He was gassed at the Bois de Foret on October 10 but refused to leave the line until he was exhausted. He was then removed to a hospital.” O’Donnell was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for “his unceasing efforts on behalf of the men’s welfare. Wherever he was needed he set an example for courage and heroism which appreciably raised the morale of those for whom he worked.”
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Cited for gallantry in action by General Pershing and General Bell. The Silver Star Medal is the United States’ third highest award exclusively for combat valor. The Silver Star was not established as an individual medal until July 19, 1932. At that time, veterans of World War I who had been cited for “gallantry in action” and awarded the “Citation Star” were, based upon specific criteria, authorized to request issuance of the Silver Star Medal in lieu of the earlier ribbon device.
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WWI Victory Medal
with battle clasps
Obituary for Chaplain O’Donnell from The Catholic New World issue May 17, 1929
He was born in Chicago, and died May 11th and had pneumonia ’several weeks ago’. It doesn’t say where he was when he contracted pneumonia, but was at Mercy Hospital for a month - presumably in Chicago. He then went east to recuperate - New Jersey. He was at the Ambassador Hotel, Atlantic City, when a sudden heart attack proved fatal. An airplane of the 132nd Infantry, 108th Aviation squadron, circled the grave during the service and dropped flowers. A battalion for the 132nd Infantry fired the salute.
At the time he was the pastor of St. Ethelreda Church, Chicago at 88th and Paulina Streets. Actual address: 8754 S. Paulina.
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Major Chaplain Rev. John L. O'Donnell D.S.M.
132nd Infantry
33rd Division A.E.F.
Baptized at Holy Angels by Rev. D. A Tigue. St. Viateur's Seminary (Bourbonnais, IL).
He was ordained by Archbishop Quigley in 1911.
As a diocesan priest at Maternity BVM, St. Patrick, St. Basil, Our Lady of Good Counsel, an St. Philip Neri parishes (all in Chicago) before becoming the pastor of St. Ethelreda in 1926. In 1916 he was appointed the chaplain of the 132nd infantry.
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