The American Legion Post 26 Bakersfield has included Private Harold Brown in the Post "Book of Honors." His citations read as follows: Harold Brown (15 May 1895 - 4 Oct 1918) Company D, 308th Infantry, 77th Division Army Private Signed by General John J Pershing, commander-in-chief of the United States Army France, awarded the "Distinguished Service Cross," the first American decoration for bravery awarded to a local soldier. "Private Brown was with the famous lost Battalion in the Argonne forest engagement, and when his detachment was completely surrounded by Germans, he volunteered to re-establish communications with the body of American soldiers about a quarter of a mile away" (Bakersfield Californian 18 June 1919). Private Brown was Killed in Action (KIA) and is buried in the commune of Binarville, France. (Union Cemetery records list burial date in Union as 9/18/1921)
The American Legion Post 26 Bakersfield has included Private Harold Brown in the Post "Book of Honors." His citations read as follows: Harold Brown (15 May 1895 - 4 Oct 1918) Company D, 308th Infantry, 77th Division Army Private Signed by General John J Pershing, commander-in-chief of the United States Army France, awarded the "Distinguished Service Cross," the first American decoration for bravery awarded to a local soldier. "Private Brown was with the famous lost Battalion in the Argonne forest engagement, and when his detachment was completely surrounded by Germans, he volunteered to re-establish communications with the body of American soldiers about a quarter of a mile away" (Bakersfield Californian 18 June 1919). Private Brown was Killed in Action (KIA) and is buried in the commune of Binarville, France. (Union Cemetery records list burial date in Union as 9/18/1921)
