Roswell Winans (December 9, 1887 – April 7, 1968) was a highly decorated

United States Marine The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

, who as a First Sergeant earned the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

during combat in the

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...

. He was later commissioned and served as a company officer with the

5th Marine Regiment The 5th Marine Regiment (also referred to as "5th Marines") is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. It is the most highly decorated regiment in the Marine Corps and falls u ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

receiving several citations for bravery in combat. During the interwar period, Winans remained in the Marine Corps and served in

Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...

Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the cou ...

and

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

. He rose to the rank of Colonel at the beginning of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and served as Chief of Staff,

Marine Corps Base San Diego Marine Corps Recruit Depot (commonly referred to as MCRD) San Diego is a United States Marine Corps military installation in San Diego, California. It lies between San Diego Bay and Interstate 5, adjacent to San Diego International Airport and th ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

for the most of War. He completed his career as Commanding Officer of Marine Barracks

Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot Hawthorne Army Depot (HWAD) is a U.S. Army Joint Munitions Command ammunition storage depot located near the town of Hawthorne, Nevada, Hawthorne in western Nevada in the United States. It is directly south of Walker Lake (Nevada), Walker Lake. ...

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...

in April 1946.

Early service

Roswell Winans was born December 9, 1887, in

Brookville, Indiana Brookville is a town in Brookville Township, Franklin County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,596 at the 2010 census. The town is the county seat of and the largest community entirely within Franklin County. History Brookville was ...

as the son of William C. Winans and Mary Davenport. He was youngest of four children and following the high school, Winans worked for two years in

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...

, before joining the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

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in February 1906.Register of Enlistments in the US Army, 1798–1914 After leaving the army, Winans joined

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

on October 10, 1912, as Sergeant and was attached to the Marine Barracks at

Mare Island Navy Yard The Mare Island Naval Shipyard (MINSY) was the first United States Navy base established on the Pacific Ocean. It is located northeast of San Francisco in Vallejo, California. The Napa River goes through the Mare Island Strait and separates th ...

. He later participated in the

occupation of Veracruz The United States occupation of Veracruz (April 21 to November 23, 1914) began with the Battle of Veracruz and lasted for seven months. The incident came in the midst of poor diplomatic relations between Mexico and the United States, and was re ...

with 1st Marine Brigade in April 1914 and later received

Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal The Good Conduct Medal is one of the oldest military awards of the United States Armed Forces. The U.S. Navy's variant of the Good Conduct Medal was established in 1869, the Marine Corps version in 1896, the Coast Guard version in 1923, the Army ...

for his enlisted service. Winans reached the rank of first sergeant and sailed with 2nd Marine Brigade under Brigadier General

Joseph H. Pendleton Major General Joseph Henry Pendleton (June 2, 1860 – February 4, 1942) was a United States Marine Corps general for whom Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is named. Pendleton served in the Marine Corps for over 40 years. Biography Joseph Hen ...

in May 1916. Marines took the cities of Puerto Plata and Monte Cristi on June 1 and Winans participated in the engagement at

Guayacanes Guayacanes is a village in the municipality of Majagua, Ciego de Ávila Province, Cuba. Overview The village, originally part of the municipality of Ciego de Ávila, is located between the city and Majagua. It counts a railway station on the Ha ...

. He distinguished himself on July 3, 1916, while coolly opened fire with his Colt Gun on the enemy trenches and when the gun jammed, stood up and repaired it under fire. Winans continued firing his gun until the enemy had abandoned the trenches. For this act of valor, he was decorated with the Medal of Honor, the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

highest military decoration.

World War I

At the time of the United States entry into World War I in April 1917, Winans assigned to the

Philadelphia Navy Yard The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard was an important naval shipyard of the United States for almost two centuries. Philadelphia's original navy yard, begun in 1776 on Front Street and Federal Street in what is now the Pennsport section of the cit ...

and promoted to the temporary rank of captain on July 26, 1917. He then assumed command of newly created 17th Company, 1st Battalion under Major Julius S. Turrill and began with the intensive training focused on offensive and defensive

trench warfare Trench warfare is a type of land warfare using occupied lines largely comprising military trenches, in which troops are well-protected from the enemy's small arms fire and are substantially sheltered from artillery. Trench warfare became a ...

, including trench construction, grenade throwing,

bayonet A bayonet (from French ) is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit on the end of the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar firearm, allowing it to be used as a spear-like weapon.Brayley, Martin, ''Bayonets: An Illustr ...

fighting, gas mask drill, weapons firing at land targets and airplanes and artillery and infantry-artillery demonstrations. The Fifth Marines embarked for

and arrived to

Saint-Nazaire Saint-Nazaire (; ; Gallo: ''Saint-Nazère/Saint-Nazaer'') is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France, in traditional Brittany. The town has a major harbour on the right bank of the Loire estuary, near the Atlantic Ocean ...

in early July of that year and spent the rest of the year with training with the French elite mountain infantry,

Chasseurs Alpins The ''chasseurs alpins'' ( en, Alpine Rangers) are the elite mountain infantry force of the French Army. They are trained to operate in mountainous terrain and in urban warfare. History France created its own mountain corps in the late 19th ...

, near

Gondecourt Gondecourt () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. Heraldry See also *Communes of the Nord department The following is a list of the 648 communes of the Nord department of the French Republic. The communes cooperate i ...

in northern France. Among the members of his company were several future Marine generals including

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, LeRoy P. Hunt,

Leonard E. Rea Leonard Earl Rea (March 14, 1897 – May 12, 1972) was a highly decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of major general, who served as quartermaster of I Marine Amphibious Corps during World War II. He later served as c ...

and

Amor L. Sims Amor LeRoy Sims (May 29, 1896 – November 30, 1978) was a highly decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of brigadier general, who is most noted as commanding officer of 7th Marine Regiment during World War II. He also ...

. In mid-March 1918, Sims and his battalion were ordered to the frontline trenches in the Toulon Sector, just southeast of

Verdun Verdun (, , , ; official name before 1970 ''Verdun-sur-Meuse'') is a large city in the Meuse department in Grand Est, northeastern France. It is an arrondissement of the department. Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital ...

. It was a relatively quiet period and they spent their time with the repairing of existing trenches and dugouts, digging new trenches, and stringing and repairing barbed wire entanglements. The 5th Marines departed Toulon Sector in mid-May 1918 and after brief period of training at the Gizors training area, they were finally ordered to the frontline north of

Marne River The Marne () is a river in France, an eastern tributary of the Seine in the area east and southeast of Paris. It is long. The river gave its name to the departments of Haute-Marne, Marne, Seine-et-Marne, and Val-de-Marne. The Marne starts in t ...

near

Château-Thierry Château-Thierry () is a French commune situated in the department of the Aisne, in the administrative region of Hauts-de-France, and in the historic Province of Champagne. The origin of the name of the town is unknown. The local tradition att ...

on June 2. Winans commanded his company during the

battle of Belleau Wood The Battle of Belleau Wood (1–26 June 1918) occurred during the German spring offensive in World War I, near the Marne River in France. The battle was fought between the U.S. 2nd (under the command of Major General Omar Bundy) and 3rd Divisi ...

and distinguished himself during the assault on Hill 1942, for which he was decorated with

Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an e ...

citation. He was shot through the foot on June 14, 1918, during German counterattack, but refused to be evacuated until the enemy was repulsed and until he had made a personal inspection of the line and found it secure. Refusing assistance, he proceeded to the rear across the shell-swept fields behind Belleau Wood to the evacuation station, thereby aggravating the injury to his foot. Winans received his second

citation for this act of bravery. Winans later rejoined his battalion and participated in the fighting in the Argonne Forest during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive and received French Croix de guerre with Guilt Star. Following the

Armistice An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from the La ...

, he marched with his regiment to the Rhineland and participated in the occupation duties in

Coblenz Koblenz (; Moselle Franconian: ''Kowelenz''), spelled Coblenz before 1926, is a German city on the banks of the Rhine and the Moselle, a multi-nation tributary. Koblenz was established as a Roman military post by Drusus around 8 B.C. Its name ...

Interwar period

Upon his return stateside in September 1919, Winans retained the rank of Captain and assumed command of the Marine Detachment of

receiving ship A hulk is a ship that is afloat, but incapable of going to sea. Hulk may be used to describe a ship that has been launched but not completed, an abandoned wreck or shell, or to refer to an old ship that has had its rigging or internal equipmen ...

. His main duty was to maintain order on the ship, which served as barracks for troops returning from overseas. He was ordered to the Marine Corps Schools, Quantico in September 1922 and entered the Field officers' course in order to improve his officer's education. Winans completed the course one year later and joined the 1st Brigade of Marines under Bridagier general Theodor P. Kane in

. He participated in the peacetime operations and jungle patrols against Cacos rebels and returned to the United States in November 1925. Winans then served at

Marine Barracks, Quantico Marine Corps Base Quantico (commonly abbreviated MCB Quantico) is a United States Marine Corps installation located near Triangle, Virginia, covering nearly of southern Prince William County, Virginia, northern Stafford County, Virginia, Staffo ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

, before he was transferred to the

in August 1927. In August 1930, Winans returned to the Marine Corps Schools, Quantico and entered the Company officers' course, which he completed one year later. He then participated in the peacekeeping operations in

, before returned stateside and was ordered to the

Army Industrial College The Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy (Eisenhower School), formerly known as the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF), is a part of the National Defense University. It was renamed on September 6, 20 ...

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

in August 1931. Winans graduated in May 1932 and was promoted to Major. He then remained in Washington area, serving at the

Headquarters Marine Corps Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) is a headquarters staff within the Department of the Navy which includes the offices of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and various staff functions. The function, ...

and was promoted to lieutenant colonel on July 27, 1935. Winan was ordered to

Far East The ''Far East'' was a European term to refer to the geographical regions that includes East and Southeast Asia as well as the Russian Far East to a lesser extent. South Asia is sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons. The ter ...

in October 1936 and assumed command of

2nd Battalion, 4th Marines 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines (2/4th Marines) is an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. The battalion, nicknamed the ''Magnificent Bastards'' from the Vietnam War, is based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California and ...

. He participated in the defense of

Shanghai International Settlement The Shanghai International Settlement () originated from the merger in the year 1863 of the British and American enclaves in Shanghai, in which British subjects and American citizens would enjoy extraterritoriality and consular jurisdiction ...

during the period of rising tension between

and

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

. Winans remained in China until April 1938, when he was transferred to

. He was promoted to colonel on March 1, 1941.

World War II

Following the Japanese

attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, j ...

and the United States entry into World War II, Winans was still serving as Chief of staff,

under Brigadier general

William H. Rupertus William Henry Rupertus (November 14, 1889 – March 25, 1945) was a major general in the United States Marine Corps, who commanded the famed 1st Marine Division in the Pacific in World War II and also authored the USMC Rifleman's Creed. Military ...

and was co-responsible the training of new recruits due to critical need of troops for combat units. He served in this capacity consecutively under generals James L. Underhill, and William C. James, before assumed temporary command of the base in February 1944. He was relieved by Brigadier general Matthew H. Kingman in April that year and served in San Diego Base until December, when he was transferred to the

as Commanding officer of Marine Barracks there. Winans was responsible for the guarding of the Depot until the end of April 1946, when he was relieved of duty awaiting retirement. Winans retired on August 1, 1946, and was advanced to the rank of

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

on the retired list for having been specially commended in combat.

Death

General Roswell Winans died on April 7, 1968, at the

San Diego Naval Hospital Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD), also known as Bob Wilson Naval Hospital and informally referred to as "Balboa Hospital", or "The Pink Palace" (because the stucco of the first buildings that were constructed was pinkish in color), is a tech ...

San Diego, California San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United States ...

. He was buried at Cypress View Mausoleum and Crematory in

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...

Awards and decorations

Brigadier General Winans' personal decorations include:

Medal of Honor citation

The Medal of Honor was awarded to then-First Sergeant Roswell Winans, USMC, on October 30, 1916, for his actions in Guayacanas on July 3, 1916. Rank and organization: Brigadier General (then First Sergeant), U.S. Marine Corps. Place and date: Guayacanas, Dominican Republic, July 3, 1916. Entered service at: Washington. Born. December 9, 1887, Brookville, Ind. G.O. No.: 244, October 30, 1916. Citation:

During an engagement at Guayacanas on July 3, 1916, 1st Sgt. Winans participated in action against a considerable force of rebels on the line of march. During a running fight of 1,200 yards, our forces reached the enemy entrenchments and Cpl. Joseph A. Glowin, U.S.M.C., placed the machinegun, of which he had charge, behind a large log across the road and immediately opened fire on the trenches. He was struck once but continued firing his gun, but a moment later he was again struck and had to be dragged out of the position into cover. 1st Sgt. Winans, U.S.M.C., then arrived with a Colt's gun which he placed in a most exposed position, coolly opened fire on the trenches and when the gun jammed, stood up and repaired it under fire. All the time Glowin and Winans were handling their guns they were exposed to a very heavy fire which was striking into the logs and around the men, 7 men being wounded and 1 killed within 20 feet. 1st Sgt. Winans continued firing his gun until the enemy had abandoned the trenches.

That day, July 3, 1916, only 80 Dominicans led by General Carlos Daniel and captain Máximo Cabral fought nearly a thousand heavily armed American Marines (24 officers and 837 soldiers) which intended to reach the city of Santiago de los Caballeros to take the fortress there.

Silver star citation (1st award)

By direction of the President, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved July 9, 1918 (Bul. No. 43, W.D., 1918) Captain Roswell Winans (MCSN: 0–1074), United States Marine Corps, is cited by the Commanding General, SECOND Division, American Expeditionary Forces, for gallantry in action and a silver star may be placed upon the ribbon of the Victory Medals awarded him. Captain Winans distinguished himself while serving with the Fifth Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces at Chateau-Thierry, France, 6 June to 10 July 1918.

Silver star citation (2nd award)

By direction of the President, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved July 9, 1918 (Bul. No. 43, W.D., 1918), Captain Roswell Winans (MCSN: 0–1074), United States Marine Corps, is cited by the Commanding General, American Expeditionary Forces, for gallantry in action and a silver star may be placed upon the ribbon of the Victory Medals awarded him. Captain Winans distinguished himself by gallantry in action while serving with the 17th Company, 5th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, on 15 June 1918, at Belleau Woods, France. Severely wounded in the foot, he refused to be evacuated until the enemy was repulsed and until he had made a personal inspection of the line and found it secure. Refusing assistance, he proceeded to the rear across the shell-swept fields behind Belleau Wood to the evacuation station, thereby aggravating the injury to his foot, sacrificing his own interests to the common cause.

Notes

External links

* *
Roswell Winans
''Home of Heroes''. {{DEFAULTSORT:Winans, Roswell 1887 births 1968 deaths United States Marine Corps personnel of World War I Recipients of the Silver Star United States Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipients United States Marine Corps generals United States Army soldiers Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France) People from Brookville, Indiana Military personnel from Indiana Occupation of the Dominican Republic recipients of the Medal of Honor Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy alumni United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II