Lt. Gen. Baron Jacques

Conveying his gratitude to the Allied forces was foremost in the mind of Jacques, commander in chief of the Belgian army, during his 1921 visit to the United States. While stateside, he attended The American Legion's convention in Kansas City and visited Arlington National Cemetery to place his own Belgian Croix de Guerre (War Cross) at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Jacques, who commanded the first detachment to clash with the Germans in 1914, told United Press International in October 1919, "When America came to the war, just the mere knowledge of it had an enormous effect on Belgium. Belgium gave a great sigh of relief. Our spirits rose by bounds, while the Germans' began to drop. When American soldiers entered the Belgian line to join in the conflict, words cannot express our feelings. We knew the end was near and that the outcome of the war had practically been determined."

 

View more Distinguished Service Medal recipients