Service Crosses for extraordinary heroism

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS

The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military decoration for Army  servicemen who display extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force.  For the Navy (and Marines) the same award is called the Navy Cross. The Air Force awards an Air Force Cross. All three are the same award.

There are 21 members of the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame who received 22 Army Distinguished Service Crosses. MG Raymond McLain (portrait at left) received two Army DSCs in WWII.   All recipients have  an inspiring story that may be read at our History Center data base.

WORLD WAR 1 -  COL Otto Luther Hunter Hine, Army, Muskogee.

WORLD WAR 2  - Col Gwen Grover Atkinson, AAC/Air Force, Oklahoma City; CPT Arnold Joseph Cissna, Army, Pharoah/Weleetka; MAJ Virgil Cephus Fields, Army Air Corps, Jay; COL Lee F. Gilstrap, Army, Greer County;  LTC Raymond Harvey (also Medal of Honor), Army, Sulphur;  Col Robert S. Johnson, Army Air Corps, Lawton; CPT Vincent A. Kimberlin, Army, Healdton; Maj Thomas E. Maloney, Air Force, Cushing; LTG Raymond Stallings McLain, Army, Oklahoma City; LTC Orville O. Munson, Army, Tahlequah; LTC Edwin Price Ramsey, Army, Claremore; MG Teddy H. Sanford, Army, Pawnee; BrigGen Kenneth Marlar Taylor, AAC/Air Force, Enid/Hominy; and COL Jack L. Treadwell (also Medal of Honor), Army, Snyder. 

KOREA - LTC James F. Murphy, Army, Oklahoma City.

VIETNAM - SSG Billie A. Hall, Army, Stillwater;  COL John Carl Johnson, Army, Edmond; CSM George Wilson Hunt, Army, Shawnee/OKC/Tulsa; SP4 Joe Minor Thomas, Army, Tulsa; and SGM Ira Edward Whitaker, Army, Fletcher/Elgin.

NAVY CROSS

The Navy Cross is the second highest military decoration for Naval  servicemen who display extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force.  There are five members of the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame  who have received the Navy Cross they are: 

WORLD WAR II: CAPT Wayne Arthur Parker, Navy, Oklahoma City; ADM James Joseph Clark, Navy, Pryor, IT; RADM Lewis Elliott Coley, Navy, Oklahoma City; 

VIETNAM: MajGen Ray L. Smith, Marine Corps, Shidler; and CDR Neil R. Sparks, Jr., Navy, Tulsa

All recipients have  an inspiring story that may be read at our History Center data base.

AIR FORCE CROSS

The Air Force Cross is the second highest military decoration for Air Force  servicemen who display extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force.   There are two members of the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame who received Air Force Crosses. 

 BrigGen James R. Risner received two Air Force Crosses.

VIETNAM

Col Charles B. DeBellevue, Air Force, Edmond and BrigGen James R. Risner, Air Force, Tulsa (2 awards)

All recipients have  an inspiring story that may be read at our History Center data base.