SERGEANT MAJOR
ERNEST A. JANSON, USMC (DECEASED)

 

Navy Medal of Honor Citation

Army Medal of Honor Citation

Ernest August Janson was born 17 August 1878, in New York, New York. After nearly ten years honorable service with the U.S. Army, he enlisted in the Marine Corps on 14 June 1910 at the Marine Barracks, Bremerton, Washington. He was appointed a corporal, 14 March 1911, and honorably discharged 13 June 1914.

He re-enlisted on 17 June 1914, and was appointed a sergeant on 24 August 1914. During this second enlistment, he served on the USS Nebraska from 13 July 1914 until 30 January 1915; on detached duty on the USS Montana from 30 January 1915 until 6 February 1915; on the USS Nebraska again from 6 February 1915 until 22 October 1916; and at Norfolk, Virginia, from 22 October 1916 until 25 May 1917.

Sergeant Janson sailed for France on the USS De Kalb on 14 June 1917, and disembarked at St. Nazaire, France, 27 June 1917. Appointed a gunnery sergeant, a temporary warrant for the duration of the war, on 1 July 1917 he served honorably with the 49th Company, 5th Regiment, in its various activities and on 6 June 1918, was severely wounded in action.

For his conspicuous service on that date, GySgt Janson was awarded the both the Army and Navy Medals of Honor. The French Medaille Militaire, which carries the Croix de Guerre with Palm, the Montenegran Silver Medal, the Portuguese Cruz de Guerra, and the Italian Croce di Guerra were also awarded to him for the same act of bravery.

In November 1918, he returned to the United States and was admitted to the Naval Hospital, New York, for treatment of the wounds received in action 6 June.

At the expiration of his second enlistment, 25 April 1919, he was honorably discharged. He re-enlisted 7 May 1919, and served the full term of this enlistment as a recruiter at New York City. He was honorably discharged on 6 May 1923.

His fourth-enlistment took place 7 May 1923, and he remained on recruiting duty until 20 July 1926, when he was transferred to Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia. On his return to duty at Quantico, he was reinstated to his wartime rank of gunnery sergeant and requested retirement the following month. He was advanced one grade to sergeant major on 31 August 1926, and placed on the retired list, 30 September 1926.

Sergeant Major Janson returned to New York and during his last years lived on Long Island. He died after a brief illness, 14 May 1930, and was buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York.

 

World War I 1917-1918 Medal of Honor