The SAR MAGAZINE is the official quarterly publication of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution published quarterly.
Issue link: http://sar.epubxp.com/i/132097
Honoring Our Colonial Ancestors The Maryland 400 Distinguished Service I If you are an American and a direct male descendant of someone who rendered civil or military service in one of the 13 American colonies before July 4, 1776, consider joining the NATIONAL SOCIETY SONS OF THE AMERICAN COLONISTS. For information on its activities and eligibility requirements, contact: Registrar General R.D. Pollock 3504 Wilson Street Fairfax, VA 22030-2936 www.americancolonists.org COMPATRIOTS! YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR MEMBERSHIP IN A VERY SELECT ORDER Numerous SARs are already affiliated COMPATRIOTS! Eligibility Founding Ancestor prior to 1657 and a Revolutionary War Patriot in the same male line. Male line may be from: (1) Father's Father; (2) Mother's Father; (3) Father's Maternal Grandfather; (4) Maternal Grandfather of Mother's Father; (5)Maternal Grandfather of Father's Father. For information, contact W. Charles Hampton, 2024 Abercrombie Rd, Culloden, GA 31016-5720. or www.founderspatriots.org 12 n early 1934, retired U.S. Army Maj. Herbert C. Fooks, a World War I combat infantryman and winner of the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star and Purple Heart, was the chairman of the Medals Committee of the MDSSAR. Fooks was concerned that there were no memorials in Maryland recognizing the Maryland 400 in the Battle of Long Island and submitted a proposal to change the Society's Good Citizenship Medal to one that would commemorate Maryland's "Bayonet Men." Later in the year, at the suggestion of Fooks, a committee was formed to look into the feasibility of presenting an annual award to the Maryland National Guard. In February 1935, the Feasibility Study Committee recommended that the award take the form of a distinctive medal to be given to one member of each unit of the Maryland National Guard. Maj. Gen. Milton A. Reckord, adjutant general of Maryland, enthusiastically accepted the proposal to award these military medals. He issued Maryland Military Department Bulletin No. 8, which stated the competition would be open to all enlisted men and would recognize general excellence as a soldier based on dependability, cooperation, leadership, patriotism and intelligence. The winner was to be selected by the commander of each unit. The yearlong competition would begin with the Summer Field Training Period (today's Annual Training). The medals would be presented during the second week of each period. Competition for the design of the obverse face of the medal, which commemorates the activity of Maryland troops in the Battle of Long Island, was announced in February of the following year and was open to all Maryland sculptors. Judge T. Scott Offutt, James E. Hancock, historian J. Nobel Stockett, sculptor Hans Schuler and Brig. Gen. Washington Bowie were judges and awarded the design prize to William Marks Simpson, director of the Rinehart School of Sculpture at the Maryland Institute. The winning design represents an American soldier in Continental Army uniform with the musket and bayonet used by the Maryland 400 in the Battle of Long Island, pressing forward under the shield of a militant America mantled in the fowing folds of a star-spangled banner. In her left hand is a shield to protect her children, in her right a sword for those who would destroy her faith. At the bottom is Aug. 27, 1776, the date of the battle when the Maryland's 400 saved Washington's army at Gowanus Creek. On the reverse side of the medal are the words "Awarded for The medal will be awarded based on distinguished service or achievement, and total career service of Maryland National Guard members SAR MAGAZINE