Distinguished Service Medal Awardees

Elmer C. Donnelly receives the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the

Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal to

Elmer C. Donnelly

Deck Cadet-Midshipman on SS Daniel Huger, May 9, 1943

For heroism beyond the call of duty.

His ship was subjected to a two-hour high level bombing attack by seventeen enemy planes. As a result of a near miss, bomb fragments pierced the hull and the cargo of high octane gasoline exploded. Despite

heroic efforts to combat the flames, two to three hundred feet high, the fire was soon out of control and the ship was abandoned. Upon the arrival of the shore fire brigade, it was decided to try to save the ship with foamite.

It was necessary to have a few men return to the ship, enter the adjacent

hold, and play a hose on the heated bulkhead to prevent the raging fire

from spreading. 

Cadet-Midshipman Donnelly was one of the five who volunteered to risk his life in an attempt to save part of the cargo, which was so necessary to the continuance of war operations. That the fire was eventually brought under control and most of the cargo saved was due in

no small measure to his outstanding bravery.

His willingness to risk his life to save his ship, and his heroic conduct

during the fire, are in keeping with the finest traditions of the sea.

For the President

Admiral Emory Scott Land

It is my privilege to present the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal, authorized by the secretary of transportation, posthumously to

Carl M. Medved

Cadet-Midshipman (Engine) on SS Daniel Huger, May 9, 1943

For heroism beyond the call of duty.

His ship was subjected to a two-hour high level bombing attack by

seventeen enemy planes. As a result of a near miss, bomb fragments pierced the hull and the cargo of high octane gasoline exploded. Despite heroic efforts to combat the flames, two to three hundred feet high, the fire was soon out of control and the ship was abandoned. Upon arrival of the shore fire brigade, it was decided to try to save the ship with foamite. It was necessary to have a few men return to the ship, enter the adjacent hold, and play a hose on the heated bulkhead to prevent the raging fire

from spreading.

Cadet-Midshipman Medved volunteered to risk his life in an attempt to save part of the cargo, which was so necessary to the continuance of war operations. That the fire was eventually brought under control and most of the cargo saved was due in no small measure to his outstanding bravery.

His willingness to risk his life to save his ship, and his heroic conduct during the fire, are in keeping with the finest traditions of the sea.

Captain William G. Schubert

Maritime Administrator

Carl M. Medved’s award was presented posthumously to surviving members of his family on August 29, 2003, by Maritime Administrator Captain William G. Schubert.

Medved was one of three Cadets on the SS Daniel Huger

who were awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. However, because of a delay in his return to the U.S. after the war, his authorization for the medal, which had been set in motion by Academy Superintendent Giles Stedman, was never processed.

Almost sixty years later, his authorization papers were discovered in the Academy archives by Eliot M. Lumbard (KP 1945), then Chair of the American Maritime History Project. Lumbard enlisted the help of Academy Superintendent Joseph Stewart and Maritime Administrator William Schubert to process the long delayed award. 

Medved was overjoyed to learn that his heroic actions would at last be recognized. Unfortunately, he died only weeks before the presentation of the medal in August 2003.

A prescient photo taken of Edwin J. O'Hara during his initial training at the Merchant Marine Cadet Basic School, San Mateo, California. His full biography is found in the Cadet/Midshipmen pages of this website. It is believed that the action between the SS Stephen Hopkins is the only time that a U.S. surface vessel sank a German warship by gunfire.

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the

Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal to 

Edwin Joseph O’Hara

Engine Cadet on SS Stephen Hopkins, September 27, 1942 For extraordinary heroism under unusual hazards.

Two enemy surface raiders suddenly appeared out of the morning mist to

attack the small merchantman upon which he was serving. Heavy guns of

one raider pounded his ship, and machine guns from the other sprayed her decks for one-half hour at close quarters. The heroic gun crew of O’Hara’s ship exchanged shot for shot with the enemy, placing thirty-five shells into the waterline of one of the raiders until its crew was forced to abandon their sinking ship. The gun Commander was mortally wounded early in the action, and all of the gun crew were killed or wounded when an enemy

shell exploded the magazine of their gun.

At the explosion, O’Hara ran aft and single-handedly served and fired the damaged gun with five live shells remaining in the ready box, scoring direct hits near the waterline of the second raider. O’Hara was mortally wounded in this action. With boilers blown up, engines destroyed, masts shot away, and ablaze from stem to stern, the gallant merchantman finally went under, carrying O’Hara and several of his fighting shipmates with her.

The magnificent courage of this young Cadet constitutes a degree of

heroism which will be an enduring inspiration to seamen of the United

States Merchant Marine everywhere.

For the President

Admiral Emory Scott Land

Walter G. Sittman receives the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal to

Walter G. Sittman Engine Cadet-Midshipman on SS William T. Coleman, July 20, 1943 For exceptionally meritorious conduct and intrepidity in action.

During the evening and throughout the night of March 19, 1943, while Cadet-Midshipman Walter G. Sittman’s vessel was moored in company with several other vessels in port on the north coast of Africa, a concentrated air attack was made on the assembled vessels by strong

formations of enemy aircraft. As the bombing, torpedoing, and strafing

action commenced, two ships moored to the same buoy, and one of which was fast aft to Cadet-Midshipman Sittman’s vessel, was loaded with ammunition, bombs, and high octane gasoline.

The stricken vessel, which was hit by several bombs forward and aft, was

ablaze within a matter of seconds; her cargo of ammunition and bombs exploding and flying in all directions. Immediately preparations were

underway to slip moorings in order to stand clear of the burning vessel.

Engineers were ready below and up forward preparations were made to

unmoor. Cadet-Midshipman Sittman and the Radio Operator volunteered to cut the moorings aft. The stern of the vessel was but six feet from the stern of the blazing ship, and the extreme heat plus bursting shells and bombs made this mission extremely hazardous. Within a few minutes, the volunteers had accomplished their mission, and their ship was able to

proceed a safe distance from the burning vessels, which soon disintegrated

with a terrific explosion.

The magnificent courage and complete disregard for his own personal

safety shown by Cadet-Midshipman Sittman in his effort to save his ship,

cargo, and the lives of his shipmates constitutes a degree of heroism which

will be an enduring inspiration to seamen of the United States Merchant

Marine everywhere.

For the President

Admiral Emory Scott Land

William M. Thomas receives the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the

Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal to:

William M. Thomas Jr., Engine Cadet-Midshipman on SS Edgar Allan Poe, November 8, 1942 For extraordinary heroism above and beyond the line of duty.

The ship upon which he was serving was loaded in all holds with highly explosive war material when attacked by torpedo and shell fire from enemy Submarine. The torpedo struck amidship, demolishing the engine and rupturing all steam and fuel pipes. The engineer and Fireman on watch met immediate death. An Oiler, blown to the top of the cylinder heads, lay helpless as a result of multiple wounds. Hearing his cries, Thomas descended into the darkness of the steam-filled wreckage and carried the

injured man to the deck. By this time, all undamaged lifeboats were away. Launching a small balsa life raft, he succeeded in getting the wounded man over the side and lashed him securely to the raft. Thomas then swam alongside the raft for about twenty hours until they were picked up by a rescue ship.

His magnificent courage and disregard of his own safety in saving the life of a shipmate constitute a degree of heroism which will be an enduring inspiration to seamen of the United States Merchant Marine everywhere.

For the President

Admiral Emory Scott Land

Phil C. Vannais receives the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal.

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the

Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal to

Phil Cox Vannais

Engine Cadet-Midshipman on SS Daniel Huger, May 9, 1943 For heroism beyond the call of duty.

His ship was subjected to a two-hour high level bombing attack by seventeen enemy planes. As a result of a near miss, bomb fragments pierced the hull and the cargo of high octane gasoline exploded. Despite

heroic efforts to combat the flames, two to three hundred feet high, the fire was soon out of control and the ship was abandoned. Upon the arrival of the shore fire brigade, it was decided to try to save the ship with foamite. It was necessary to have a few men returned to the ship, enter the adjacent hold, and play a hose on the heated bulkhead to prevent the raging fire

from spreading. Cadet-Midshipman Vannais was one of four who volunteered to risk his life in an attempt to save part of the cargo, which was so necessary to the

continuance of war operations. That the fire was eventually brought under

control and most of the cargo saved was due in no small measure to his

outstanding bravery.

His willingness to risk his life to save his ship, and his heroic conduct during the fire, are in keeping with the finest  traditions of the sea.

For the President

Admiral Emory Scott Land

Frederick R. Zito receives the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal.

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal to

Frederic R. Zito Engine Cadet-Midshipman on SS Fitz John Porter, March 1, 1943

For heroism beyond the line of duty.

The ship in which he served was  torpedoed at night. The crew abandoned

the fast-sinking ship in an orderly fashion except for one man. This man, a Fireman weighing 250 pounds, lost his hold in descending the Jacobs ladder. In his struggles to catch himself, he became so fouled in the boat falls that he was hanging head down and helpless. Zito left his position in the lifeboat, climbed hand over hand up the falls, and attempted to

extricate the now thoroughly panic-stricken man. Thwarted in his efforts to

free the Fireman, the young Cadet cut the falls above them with his clasp knife, and both men fell into the sea. Zito worked desperately to remove the ropes from the still struggling Fireman. Failing in this, he, now at the point of exhaustion, took the entangled man in tow until both were picked up by a lifeboat.

Zito’s heroism in thus saving the life of one of his shipmates at great risk

to his own is in keeping with the finest traditions of the United States

Merchant Marine.

For the President

Admiral Emory Scott Land