PFC George Dilboy (laying on the ground because of the weight of his balls) was a Greek native of Ottoman Turkey who migrated to the US in early 1910. He had previously fought with the Greek Army and had volunteered to fight with the US Army, not once but twice (Mexican Border War and WW1)
On July 18, 1918. deep into the Aisne-Marne offensive with the men of the 103rd Infantry, 26th Yankee division, his platoon was ordered to recon a train station near Belleau, France when he and his platoon commander came under heavy MG fire. Completely exposed, Dillboy fixed his bayonet and made a lone charge across 100 yards of field directly towards the MG nest. Despite having his leg nearly severed above the knee from the bullets, he crawled his way forward and took out the crew with rifle fire from 25 yards. He died of his wounds and was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Wilson.
The 22 year old was initially buried in France, but at the request of his father, his remains were buried in Alatsat, Turkey. During the Greco-Turkish war of 1922 rampaging Turkish soldiers seized the town, and in the process, his grave was desecrated, along with the American Flag being stolen from his casket.
Upon hearing this, enraged president Warren G. Harding sent a US warship to Turkey to recover his remains, demanded a formal apology from the Turkish government and forced a Turkish honor guard to deliver his remains draped once again in an American Flag.
Dilboy was escorted all the way to Arlington with full military honors with president Calvin Coolridge presiding at his burial in 1923.
Dilboy had the distinction of being honored by 3 Presidents and according to General Pershings, considered one of the ten great heroes who died in the battlefield of France with super human heroism and valor. #ww1 #hero