Army Posthumously Awards Silver Star and Purple Heart to WWI Soldier Isidor Olian, 108 Years After His Death
The U.S. Army posthumously presented the Silver Star and the Purple Heart to World War I Pvt. Isidor Olian at a ceremony on Nov. 10 at Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, New York, 108 years after he was killed in France, the 1st Infantry Division announced on Nov. 14.
Olian, a New York City resident, entered active duty in July 1918 and deployed to France later that month, serving with Company K, 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division — the "Big Red One." German machine-gun fire killed him near Exermont, France, on Oct. 2, 1918. According to the division, it sustained more than 8,500 casualties in 12 days during the fighting of October 1918.
Col. Ian J. Lauer, the division's deputy commanding officer for support, presented the medals to Carl Young, Olian's great-grandnephew. At the family's request, Army Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Raziel Amar recited El Malei Rachamim, the Jewish prayer for the dead.
Young's research began with the flag that had covered Olian's coffin, preserved by the family. After decades of work documenting his great-granduncle's service, his citation for gallantry and his eligibility, the Army approved the awards in 2026: the Silver Star for gallantry in action, and the Purple Heart for his death as a result of enemy action.
The division said the ceremony was part of its "Year of Legacy," connecting Olian's story to the generations of soldiers and families whose service has shaped the Army since.
(Source: 1st Infantry Division, U.S. Army)
Source: 1st Infantry Division, U.S. Army
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
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