LOUIS VAN IERSEL, Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company M, 9th Infantry, 2d Division. At Muozon, France, 9 November 1918. While a member of the reconnaissance patrol, sent out at night to ascertain the condition of a damaged bridge, Sgt. Van Iersel volunteered to lead a party across the bridge in the face of heavy machinegun and rifle fire from a range of only 75 yards. Crawling alone along the debris of the ruined bridge he came upon a trap, which gave away and precipitated him into the water. In spite of the swift current he succeeded in swimming across the stream and found a lodging place among the timbers on the opposite bank. Disregarding the enemy fire, he made a careful investigation of the hostile position by which the bridge was defended and then returned to the other bank of the river, reporting this valuable information to the battalion commander.

He was born in Holland and is credited with saving 27 British sailors whose ship was torpedoed in a sub attack–and that was before he emigrated to the United States in 1917. He drove a coal cart while he learned English (he only spole four other languages) so that he could join the United States Army. During World War II, he enlisted in the United States Marines to again serve at his country’s call.

Mr Van Iersel was a LIFE MEMBER of the Legion of Valor and resided in Southern California.