Arthur J. Forrest

Arthur J. Forrest
Born (1895-05-01)May 1, 1895
St. Louis, Missouri
Died November 30, 1964(1964-11-30) (aged 69)
St. Louis, Missouri
Place of burial Grand View Burial Park Ralls, Missouri
Allegiance  United States of America
Service/branch United States Army
Rank Sergeant
Unit Company D, 354th Infantry, 89th Division
Battles/wars

St. Mihiel Offensive

Meuse-Argonne Offensive
Awards

Medal of Honor World War I Victory Medal w/St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne and Defensive Sector Clasps Army of Occupation Medal, WWI Medaille Miltaire, France Croix de Guerre, WWI, France Croix de Guerre, WWI, Belgium Medal of Military Bravery, Montenegro Military Medal, Great Britain Croce al Merito di Guerra, WWI, Italy

War with Germany Medal, WWI, Missouri

Arthur Joseph Forrest (May 1, 1895—November 30, 1964) was an American soldier serving in the U.S. Army during World War I who received the Medal of Honor for heroism above and beyond the call of duty.

Biography

Arthur J. Forrest was born May 1, 1895 in St. Louis, Missouri,[1] and prior to World War I he was a professional baseball player, having been with Hannibal, MO, and Quincy, IL, of the Three-I League.[2] He enlisted in the United States Army in 1918 and was sent to France to fight in World War I, therein serving in Company D, 354th Infantry Regiment, 89th Division. Upon returning to the United States in May 1919, he was discharged the following month and returned to Hannibal, Missouri. In 1920, Forrest moved to Laramie, Wyoming, where he was captain and catcher for the Midwest Refining Company baseball team.[3] By the end of the decade, Forrest moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where he played as catcher for the Winston-Salem club of the Piedmont League.[4] Upon retiring from baseball, Forrest returned to Missouri and became a contact representative at the Veterans Administration office in St. Louis. He died on November 30, 1964, while riding a bus to work,[5] and was buried at Grand View Burial Park, Hannibal, Missouri.[6]

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company D, 354th Infantry, 89th Division. Place and date: Near Remonville, France, 1 November 1918. Entered service at: Hannibal, Mo . Birth: St. Louis, Mo. G.O. No.: 50, W.D., 1919.

Citation:

When the advance of his company was stopped by bursts of fire from a nest of 6 enemy machineguns, without being discovered, he worked his way single-handed to a point within 50 yards of the machinegun nest. Charging, single-handed, he drove out the enemy in disorder, thereby protecting the advance platoon from annihilating fire, and permitting the resumption of the advance of his company.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 for Arthur Joseph Forrest
  2. ↑ "Hannibal, Mo. Man a Hero." Kansas City Star, Mar 8, 1919, p.1.
  3. ↑ "Wyoming Claims Honor Man." Kansas City Star, Nov 2, 1921, p. 13.
  4. ↑ "Arthur Forrest, World War Hero, Now Catching In Piedmont League." Tampa Tribune [FL], May 25, 1930, p. 32.
  5. ↑ Press Telegram, Long Beach, CA, Dec 1, 1964, p. A-2.
  6. ↑ "Arthur J. Forrest". Claim to Fame: Medal of Honor recipients. Find a Grave. Retrieved June 22, 2009.

References

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