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World War I Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient
Sgt. Matej Kocak, United States Marine Corps
For "heroism above and beyond the call of duty" in action against the enemy on 18 July 1918, Sergeant Matej Kocak, U.S. Marine Corps, was posthumously awarded both the Army and Navy Medals of Honor.
The Citation reads:
"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy near Soissons, France, 18 July 1918. 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 position in the face of fire from an enemy covering detachment. 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."
Almost three months later, on 4 October 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, Fifth Marine Regiment.
Sergeant Kocak was born in Austria, near the Czechoslovakian Hungarian border in 1882. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1906, and 16 October of the following year, enlisted in the Marine Corps at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and began his 11-year Marine Corps career at Marine Barracks, League Island, Pennsylvania. He was discharged 16 October 1911 at the expiration of his first enlistment but reenlisted at New York City the following 26 December and was assigned to the Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, New York, for duty.
During his second enlistment, he served with the U.S. Army at Vera Cruz, Mexico, from 30 April to 23 November 1914. His enlistment ended on 25 December 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 at Las Canitas, Azua Province, Dominican Republic. Appointed to the rank of corporal 23 March 1917, he then returned to the United States where he joined the 12th Company at Quantico, Virginia.
By 31 December 1917, he was again overseas, this time at St. Nazaire, France. The following 23 January he joined the 66th Company, Fifth Marine Regiment, and on 1 June 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 18 July 1918, he participated in the attack at Villers Cotteret Wood south of Soissons, France, and on this day performed the act of heroism for which he was posthumously awarded both Army and Navy Medals of Honor.
1 October to 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 4 October 1918, and is buried in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne, France.
CITATIONS:
Army Medal
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, 66th Company, 5th Regiment, 2d Division. Place and date: Near Soissons, France, 18 July 1918. Entered service at: New York, N.Y. Born: 31 December 1882, Gbely (Slovakia), Austria. G.O. No.: 34, W.D., 1919. (Also received Navy Medal of Honor.) Citation: When the advance of his battalion was checked by a hidden machinegun 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 machinegun 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 machinegun nest, which was also put out of action.
Navy Medal
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 31 December 1882, Gbely (Slovakia), Austria. Accredited to: New York. ( Also received Army Medal of Honor. ) Citation: For extraordinary heroism while serving with the 66th Company, 5th Regiment, 2d Division, in action in the Viller-Cottertes section, south of Soissons, France, 18 July 1918. When a hidden machinegun nest halted the advance of his battalion, Sgt. 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, Sgt. Kocak organized French colonial soldiers who had become separated from their company and led them in an attack on another machinegun nest which was also put out of action.
Container Ship named after Sgt. Matej Kocak
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