usl dsm & dsa honor roll

The following are all known individuals who received the United States Lines Distinguished Service Medal or the United States Lines Distinguished Service Award.

[DSM] United States Lines Distinguished Service Medal
[DSA] United States Lines Distinguished Service Award

The lists of recipients are grouped by United States Lines ship; the date is the year and month of award (if known).


1934 November
SS Washington

George Fried (Master) [DSM]
Ralph C. Dooley (Chief Officer) [DSA]
Alex Marra [DSA]
Arnold Boehm [DSA]
Charles Mortensen [DSA]
Hans Ingebrightsen [DSA]
John Breda [DSA]
Joseph Bongiavion [DSA]
Joseph Kane [DSA]
Lester Lawson [DSA]
Michael Quinn [DSA]
Robert Fiolka [DSA]
Rudolph Arendt [DSA]

Rescue of seaplane crew. 


1935 May
SS President Harding

William Huettmann (Quartermaster) [DSM]

Rescue of a passenger.


1937 May
SS American Merchant 

Alfred M. Moore (Master) [DSM]
Theodore Christensen (Chief Officer)  [DSM]
David Gillan (Boatswain) [DSA]
Alfred Moss (Quartermaster)  [DSA]
John Hadlock (Able Seaman)  [DSA]
Edward Granat (Seaman)  [DSA]
Frank Maria (Seaman)  [DSA]
Timothy Morley (Seaman)  [DSA]

4 October 1936 rescue of Mabel A. Frye.


1939 February
SS American Farmer

Haakon Andrew Pedersen (Master) [DSM]
James Augustus Freeman Knowlton II (2nd Officer) [DSM]
Donald G. Forbes [DSA]
Nathan Lieberman [DSA]
Roderic Emmons [DSA]
Timothy Moriarty [DSA]
Philip W. Babcock [DSA]
William Nixon [DSA]

1938 rescue of SS Fieldwood.


1939 February
SS American Banker

Alfred M. Moore (Master) [DSM]
Charles Kaiser (Chief Officer) [DSM]
? others

193x Rescue of schooner Pioneer.


1940 June
SS Washington

Harry Manning (Master) [DSM]
Tom Floyd (Bell Boy) [DSM]

For service in light of interdiction by a German submarine.

1940 June
SS Washington

John Gorman (A.B) [DSM]
Frederick Osborn Wooley (Deck Cadet) [DSM]
J. R. Fels (Junior Officer)  [DSA]
J. Sleglik (Electrician)  [DSA]
F. Estes (Oiler) [DSA]

For the rescue of a fellow crew member.


1943 April 1

Haakon Andrew Pedersen (Master) [DSM] “posthumous”
John E. Thevik (Master) [DSM]
John F. Spears (Master) [DSM]
J.M. Hatfield (Master) [DSM]

In recognition of “specially meritorious service under unusual stress and hazard.” Captain Pedersen’s award was the only posthumous award of the USL DSM – he was later found to be alive in a Japanese Prison Camp (follow the link above for more details about his experience – in his own words).


1945 June
SS Nathanael Greene

George A. Vickers (Master) [DSM]

For the performance of duty under unusual stress and danger.


1946
SS American Ranger

Oscar Johnson (Master) [DSM]

For re-asserting USL ownership of SS American Farmer.


1949 
SS Pioneer Sea

David R. Phoebus (Master) [DSM]
George C. Previll (2nd Officer) [DSM]
? Wagster (3rd Offcer)
Charles Berry (Deck Utility)
Okay Lawson (Fireman)
Gouvencio Esquierdo (A.B.)
George Knob (Purser)
? Palmer (Deck Cadet)
John Nolan (Engine Cadet) 
4 others

Rescue of crew from two tanker barges and a tug.


1951 October
SS American Counselor

Edwin T. Fletcher (Master) [DSM]
Peter Soynarowski (3d Ass’t Engineer)
Albert Tierbroot (Oiler)
Carlos Perujo (Ordinary Seaman)
Henry A. Mushik (Able Seaman)
Hubertus Vershueren (Able Seaman)
Luis Lorenzi (Able Seaman)
Millar Montieth (Able Seaman)
Oscar Alvarez (Boatswain)
William McIntyre (Engine Utility)

Rescue of French trawler Duc de Normandie


1956 January
SS American Miller

William H. Wight (Master) [DSM]
Francis R. Kahle (Chief Officer) [DSM]
Charles D. Cummings (Junior 3rd Officer) [DSM]
James J. Smith (1st Ass’t Engineer) [DSM]
John W. Kidney (3rd Ass’t Engineer) [DSM]
Chong I. Lee (Seaman) [DSM]
Fred Ksartis (Seaman) [DSM]
Lawrence Lumberg (Seaman) [DSM]
Melvin D. Saunders (Seaman) [DSM]
Paul Walker (Seaman) [DSM]
Dr. Rafael Roldan (Passenger) [“Similar award”]

Rescue of SS Sea Mazzella.

Allied objects for USL DSM are part of James J. Smith Collection on dittybag here:
Mementos of Chief Engineer James Joseph Smith


1956 September
SS America

Fred Fender (Master) [DSM]
10 others

April 1956 transfer of ill seaman of the MV Kirsti H 


1960 December
SS Pioneer Main

Frederick Geary Collison, Jr. (Master)  USMMA ‘42
14 others


1964
SS American Press

Vincent A. Moscatello (Chief Officer) [DSM]

Rescue of a dock worker.