FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: Matej Kocak ~ 05 February 2024

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[Kathy in Alaska]

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~ Hall of Heroes ~

Matej Kocak

Info from this website.

           

Matej Kocak (December 3, 1882 - October 4, 1918), a United States Marine Corps sergeant, was posthumously awarded both the Army and Navy Medals of Honor, for "heroism above and beyond the call of duty" in action against the enemy on July 18, 1918. Almost three months later, on October 4, 1918, he was killed in action by enemy gunfire in the Battle of Blanc Mont Ridge in France while serving as a member of the 66th Company, 5th Regiment.

Matej Kocak was born in Egbell, Kingdom of Hungary (today Gbely, Slovakia), in 1882. He emigrated to the United States in 1906, and on October 16, 1907, enlisted in the Marine Corps in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and began his 11-year Marine Corps career at Marine Barracks, League Island, Pennsylvania. He was discharged on October 16, 1911 at the expiration of his first enlistment but reenlisted in New York City on December 26, 1911 and was assigned to the Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, New York, for duty. For some time he lived in Binghamton, New York, where large Slovak community used to live. He was member of Slovak Catholic Sokol in this town.

During his second enlistment, he served with the U.S. Army at Verz Cruz, Mexico, from April 30, to November 23, 1914. His enlistment ended on December 25, 1915 at Marine Barracks, New York, New York, but he again reenlisted and transferred to Marine Barracks, Naval Station, New Orleans, Louisiana.

The following year, he was ashore in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, where he participated in skirmishes with native bandits in Las Canitas, Azua Province, Dominican Republic. Appointed to the rank of corporal March 23, 1917, he then returned to the United States where he joined the 12th Company at Quantico, Virginia.

By December 31, 1917, he was again overseas, this time at St. Nazaire, France. The following January 23, 1918, he joined the 66th Company, 5th Regiment, and on June 1, 1918, was promoted to sergeant and then took part in the attack against the enemy in Bois De Belleau Bouresches sector northwest of Chateau Thierry, France. On July 18, 1918, he participated in the attack at Villers Cotteret Wood south of Soissons, France, and it was on this day he performed the act of heroism for which he was posthumously awarded both the Army and Navy Medal of Honor.

1– October 4, 1918 found him taking part in the Allied drive against the enemy in the Argonne Forest between the Moselle and Forest of Argonne in the vicinity of Blanchmont in Champagne, France, and in the attack against the enemy in the St. Mihiel sector in the vicinity of Thiaucourt, France. He was killed in action on October 4, 1918, and is buried in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne, France.

Medal of Honor Citations

Navy citation

    For extraordinary heroism while serving with the Sixty-sixth Company, Fifth Regiment, Second Division, in action in the Viller-Cottertes section, south of Soissons, France, 18 July 1918. When a hidden machine gun nest halted the advance of his battalion, Sergeant Kocak went forward alone unprotected by covering fire and worked his way in between the German positions in the face of heavy enemy fire. Rushing the enemy position with his bayonet, he drove off the crew. Later the same day, Sergeant Kocak organized French colonial soldiers who had become separated from their company and led them in attacking another machine gun nest, which was also put out of action.

Army citation

    When the advance of his battalion was checked by a hidden machine-gun nest, he went forward alone, unprotected by covering fire from his own men, and worked in between the German positions in the face of fire from enemy covering detachments. Locating the machine-gun nest, he rushed it and with his bayonet drove off the crew. Shortly after this he organized 25 French colonial soldiers who had become separated from their company and led them in attacking another machine-gun nest, which was also put out of action.

SS Sgt. Matej Kocak (T-AK 3005)

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[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, lightman...it IS nice to read about LEGAL immigrants and the important things they do to preserve the USA.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, luvie...he was awesome, indeed.

[radu]

I imagine y’all are pumped and rarin’ to go! LOL You’ve had plans in the past shot down for one reason or another and I hope nothing comes up last-minute this time. Have a blast out there this week!

You’ve posted pics of the pups right after their baths and groomings in the past and they ARE adorable with their new “dos”.

Things are pretty good here. Temps for this time of year are pleasant. Just watched the weather report and they’ve changed it since yesterday. Now there’s only one day in the 50s and the rest are supposed to be in the low 60s. Likey lots!!

Got the pile of tree trash burned last evening and can now pile up what’s been blown out of the trees the past few months. I’ll start picking that mess up this week. No rain until the weekend so I can get a good start on it.
Grocery shopping, hauling trash off to the convenience center - - a whole lotta fun in store this week. LOL

[radu]

Maybe that low will move out soon. It sure didn’t do us any good today. It was cloudy but nary a drop of rain. It stayed south of us. Not nearly as warm as the last two days but it wasn’t too bad. The week ahead looks pretty good too. No rain until the weekend and the whole weekend will be soggy. We’ll need it by then so bring it on.

[luvie]

I think it’s better that the rain is holding off till the weekend. That way, the ground will be good and ready for it. I would LOVE some soggy! LOL!

[radu]

The ground’s plenty ready for it now but a few more days won’t matter. I can use the dry time to start picking up tree trash around the yards, now that I have room to pile up more. The ol’ bum back can only take so much bending over so I can’t do but so much a day. This will be a good week for it since it’ll be comfy and not hot.

[luvie]

Maybe if you do a little bit at a time, your back won’t be screaming too loud. But, yeah, that stuff is probably heavy too. Or at least some of it. You’ll feel much better getting it done and over with. Hopefully the wind won’t be too awful for a while.

Speaking of which, I just peeked out and it’s much calmer out there now. Thank goodness! It’s pretty cool...45...but not bad when there is little wind. We have the same temperature. LOL! You’re probably thinking...”pretty warm”. :D

[E.G.C.]

A very pleasant good Monday morning and ((HUGS)) to everyone at the Canteen and to all our military at home and abroad. Thanks for your service to our country.

Yesterday at Comanche Lake:

How's everyone doing this morning?

[radu]

I always do it a little at a time. Have to. None of the stuff is large and heavy, fortunately. There’s just a lot of it, especially at the other house. A LOT of trees over there. There are just a few at the edge of the back yard over here.

Yay!! Great that the wind’s finally dying down there. That’ll make the kitties really happy, and you too. :-)

Yeah, the temp is pretty warm compared to what we’ve had overnight lately. LOL It’s still cloudy and that’s keeping the temperature up a little tonight.

[radu]

Howdy, E.G.C. ((HUGZ))

You and Gizmo covered some ground yesterday. Looks like y’all had a great time out there.

[luvie]

Well, they do seem calmer tonight than they were last night when the wind was still howling. Me too. LOL

I think I’m going to take off for the night. I’m getting sleepy. I wasn’t happy when that alarm went off this morning. Thank goodness I can sleep in tomorrow morning. Yay! See ya tomorrow night!

[E.G.C.]

Yep, there was actually someone with three dogs who came just as we were walking back from the lake. I wanted to hang on and let him load those dogs back so they wouldn't get at Gizmo and thankfully he did.

But, as you can see Giz wanted to do a lot yesterday.

This morning's it's a little cool out there. I did let Giz out to go to the bathroom. We also had KFC supper as well.

[radu]

I’m sure they ARE calmer. Cats don’t like wind, especially when it’s blowing so hard. My cats don’t go out but they can still hear it, and they get wound up like two dollar watches.

You weren’t happy when the alarm went off? Naaaaaawwwww, say it isn’t so. LOL
Get some good sleep tonight and enjoy waking up late.

[radu]

Glad you didn’t have any problems with the three dogs to ruin the fun. It won’t be that much longer before that sort of thing will happen more often. Spring will bring folks out in droves. That never seems to slow Giz down though. LOL

I hope it turns out to be a comfortable day for your outing, after the chilly night.

[left that other site]

It is actually nice out: Sunny and Cold, but blue sky which is cheery.

Feeling a bit better every day.

[luvie]

Hey there, Early Birds!
Nope. Not early again.
I slept in and then
....went down rabbit holes. LOL!
Hope all y'all enjoyed reading about this amazing hero!
Everyone have a Mahv'lus Monday
....and a Wonderful Week!
It's cool and sunny here. Slight breeze.
(((hugs)))