John Joseph Kelly

Double Medal of Honor Recipient and Hero of Blanc Mont Ridge

He ran through his own artillery barrage, attacked a German machine-gun position alone and returned with eight prisoners.

Private John Joseph Kelly was one of only nineteen servicemen in American history to receive the Medal of Honor twice. Both his Army and Navy Medals of Honor recognized the same extraordinary act at Blanc Mont Ridge on 3 October 1918.

John Joseph Kelly was born in Chicago, Illinois, on 24 June 1898. He enlisted as a private in the United States Marine Corps at Port Royal, South Carolina, on 15 May 1917. His service number was 87666. After joining the 6th Regiment at Quantico, he transferred to the 78th Company on 12 September 1917 and sailed for France aboard the USS Henderson in January 1918.

Kelly served with the 78th Company, 6th Marines, 2nd Division, American Expeditionary Forces. His wartime service included engagements at Château-Thierry, St. Mihiel, Blanc Mont and Meuse-Argonne. He later took part in the march to the Rhine and the occupation of the Coblenz Bridgehead.

His courage was recognized through four Silver Star citations. One covered gallantry during the Château-Thierry fighting from 6 June to 10 July 1918. Two further citations arose from the St. Mihiel operations of September 1918. Another credited him with helping capture an enemy machine gun and four prisoners near Thiaucourt on 15 September. These First World War Silver Citation Stars were later represented by the Silver Star Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters.

Kelly’s defining action came at Blanc Mont Ridge on 3 October 1918. Moving approximately one hundred yards ahead of the American front line, he ran through his own artillery barrage and attacked a German machine-gun position. He killed the gunner with a grenade, shot another member of the crew with his pistol and returned through the barrage with eight prisoners.

For this single act of extraordinary heroism, Kelly received both the Army and Navy Medals of Honor. General John J. Pershing presented his Army Medal of Honor at Coblenz, Germany, on 15 March 1919. Kelly stood in the same presentation line as several senior Army generals receiving their own decorations.

His distinction as a double recipient was exceptionally rare. Only nineteen people have received the Medal of Honor twice, and no serviceman has achieved that distinction since the First World War. Kelly’s two awards were separate Army and Navy decorations granted for the same deed.

Kelly’s wartime recognition extended beyond the United States. France awarded him the Médaille militaire and the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 with both a bronze palm and bronze star. Italy awarded him the Croce al Merito di Guerra, while Montenegro presented him with its Silver Medal for Bravery.

His American service recognition also included two Purple Hearts, the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal and the World War I Victory Medal with five battle stars. The five stars represented campaign credit for Aisne, Aisne-Marne, St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne and Defensive Sector service. His qualifying service with the 6th Marines also entitled him to permanent wear of the French Fourragère as a separate shoulder distinction.

Kelly was honourably discharged at Quantico on 14 August 1919, with his character officially recorded as “Excellent.” He returned to civilian life carrying one of the most remarkable collections of American and foreign gallantry awards earned by any enlisted Marine of the First World War.

Private John Joseph Kelly died in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on 20 November 1957. He was buried at All Saints Cemetery in Des Plaines, Illinois.

John Joseph Kelly’s story is not defined only by the number of medals he received. It is defined by the moment he chose to run forward alone through falling American shells, confront an enemy machine gun and return with eight prisoners.

He was eighteen when he joined the Marines. Before his twentieth birthday, he had become one of the most highly decorated enlisted Marines in American history.

Forgotten by too many. Never by us.