Ernest A Janson (Charles F Hoffman)
Ernest A Janson was born on the 17th of August, 1878 in New York City and served in the US Army from 1900 to 1910. He then enlisted in the US Marine Corps in June of 1910 and served until 1914. Several days after his enlistment ended, Ernest re-enlisted with the Marines and went on to serve on the USS Nebraska until January of 1915. He would have several duties and location before sailing to France aboard the USS DeKalb on the 14th of June, 1917 and it was his actions one year later in France, that would earn him, not one, but two Medals of Honor. The citations read:
Army Medal of Honor: Immediately after the company to which he belonged had reached its objective on Hill 142, several hostile counterattacks were launched against the line before the new position had been consolidated. GSgt. Hoffman was attempting to organize a position on the north slope of the hill when he saw 12 of the enemy, armed with five light machine guns, crawling toward his group. Giving the alarm, he rushed the hostile detachment, bayoneted the two leaders, and forced the others to flee, abandoning their guns. His quick action, initiative, and courage drove the enemy from a position from which they could have swept the hill with machine-gun fire and forced the withdrawal of our troops. Navy Medal of Honor: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy near Chateau-Thierry, France, 6 June 1918. Immediately after the company to which GSgt. Janson belonged had reached its objective on Hill 142, several hostile counterattacks were launched against the line before the new position had been consolidated. GSgt. Janson was attempting to organize a position on the north slope of the hill when he saw 12 of the enemy, armed with five light machine guns, crawling toward his group. Giving the alarm, he rushed the hostile detachment, bayoneted the two leaders, and forced the others to flee, abandoning their guns. His quick action, initiative, and courage drove the enemy from a position from which they could have swept the hill with machine-gun fire and forced the withdrawal of our troops.
Navy Medal of Honor: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy near Chateau-Thierry, France, 6 June 1918. Immediately after the company to which GSgt. Janson belonged had reached its objective on Hill 142, several hostile counterattacks were launched against the line before the new position had been consolidated. GSgt. Janson was attempting to organize a position on the north slope of the hill when he saw 12 of the enemy, armed with five light machine guns, crawling toward his group. Giving the alarm, he rushed the hostile detachment, bayoneted the two leaders, and forced the others to flee, abandoning their guns. His quick action, initiative, and courage drove the enemy from a position from which they could have swept the hill with machine-gun fire and forced the withdrawal of our troops.
Now, if you are wondering who Charles Hoffman is, well, that is Ernest. Or Ernest is Charles. To tell you the truth, I am not entirely sure why there is a name discrepancy. I do know that he legally changed his name but I have found sources that say he changed it to Charles and sources that say he changed it to Ernest. I am more inclined to believe that Ernest had legally changed his name to Charles, since that is the name that is on his gravestone. Regardless, Ernest received both the Army and Navy Medals of Honor, making him one of five Marines during World War 1 to do so; you no longer can receive more than one Medal of Honor for the same incident. Ernest went on to not only finish his second and third enlistments, with jobs such as a recruiter in NYC and pallbearer for the burial of the Unknown Soldier on Armistice day in 1921, but retired from his fourth enlistment as a Sergeant Major on the 30th of September 1926. Ernest A Janson, or Charles F Hoffman, died on the 14th of May, 1930 in Long Island, NY, and is buried in The Evergreens Cemetery in Brooklyn; section Orient Hill.
