Undaunted Courage, Ultimate Sacrifice: Osmond K. Ingram, American Hero of the First World War
Gunner's Mate 1st Class Osmond Kelly Ingram, USN, c. 1913-1917 (courtesy of U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command).
Osmond Kelly Ingram (August 4, 1887 – October 15, 1917) was a sailor in the United States Navy during World War I who received the Medal of Honor posthumously. He was the first American sailor to die in World War I. Ingram was blown overboard when a torpedo fired from the German submarine U-61 struck his ship, USS Cassin, as he attempted to save his ship and shipmates. His body was never recovered.
Information above provided by Wikipedia.
Tensions had been brewing throughout Europe—especially in the troubled Balkan region of southeast Europe—for years before World War I actually broke out. The spark that ignited World War I was struck in the country of Bosnia, where Archduke Franz Ferdinand—heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire—was shot to death along with his wife, Sophie, by the Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip on June 28, 1914. The assassination of Franz Ferdinand set off a rapidly escalating chain of events: Austria-Hungary, like many countries around the world, blamed the Serbian government for the attack and hoped to use the incident as justification for settling the question of Serbian nationalism once and for all.
Because Serbia had the support of mighty Russia, Austria-Hungary waited to declare war until its leaders received word from German leader Kaiser Wilhelm II that Germany would support their cause. On July 5, 1914, Kaiser Wilhelm secretly pledged his support, giving Austria-Hungary a so-called carte blanche, or “blank check” assurance of Germany’s backing in the case of war. The Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary then sent an ultimatum to Serbia, with such harsh terms as to make it almost impossible to accept.
Convinced that Austria-Hungary was readying for war, the Serbian government ordered the Serbian army to mobilize and appealed to Russia for assistance. On July 28, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, and the tenuous peace between Europe’s great powers quickly collapsed. Within a week, Russia, Belgium, France, Great Britain and Serbia, the Allies, had lined up against Austria-Hungary, Germany, and the Ottoman Empire, known as the Central Powers, and World War I had begun.
When the United States finally entered World War I in April 1917 on the side of the Allies, the U.S. Navy joined the Allied navies in engaging German submarines, called U-boats, in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coasts of England, France, Ireland, Spain, in the Mediterranean, and off the eastern coast of the United States. In October 1917, while off the coast of Ireland, one Navy destroyer was saved from total destruction thanks to an American hero named Osmond Kelly Ingram. In a remarkable display of courage and quick thinking, Osmond K. Ingram's actions also saved the lives of his shipmates at the cost of his own. Three years after his death, Ingram would be awarded the Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism in the presence of the enemy.
Osmond K. Ingram's story, hidden history that has remained long forgotten, is the story of a war hero who sacrificed his life for the country he loved and a war that marked the beginning of the use of unrestricted submarine warfare by the enemy.
For the rest of Osmond's story, please check out the audio link provided for EPISODE THIRTY-THREE of our podcast, Hidden History: An Odyssey Through Time
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Images and Documents
Osmond Kelly Ingram in the 1900 U.S. census (courtesy of familysearch.org).
Osmond Kelly Ingram in the 1910 U.S. census (courtesy of familysearch.org).
Left to right: McFarland, Ross Strickland, Harry Roberts, Capt. W.L. McDonough, Bendess, McGlaun. Osmond K. Ingram sitting on running board with mascot, Station 14, Pratt City, Alabama, c. 1908-1913 (courtesy of Birmingham Fire Department).
USS CASSIN (DD-43), c. 1916 (courtesy of U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command).
Zimmermann Telegram (1917) - This telegram, written by German Foreign Secretary Arthur Zimmermann, is a coded message sent to Mexico, proposing a military alliance against the United States. The obvious threats to the United States contained in the telegram inflamed American public opinion against Germany and helped convince Congress to declare war against Germany in 1917 (courtesy of U.S. National Archives).
1st page of President Wilson's Declaration of War Message to Congress, April 2, 1917 (courtesy of U.S. National Archives).
Joint Resolution of April 6, 1917, by the Congress of the United States, declaring that a State of War Exists Between the Imperial German Government & the Government & the People of the United States (courtesy of U.S. National Archives).
Interior view of the USS CASSIN (DD-43), the ship Osmond K. Ingram died protecting, after she was torpedoed on October 15, 1917 (courtesy of U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command).
Osmond Kelly Ingram, posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor & first American sailor killed in World War I, c. 1912-17 (courtesy of Alabama Department of Archives and History).
Death announcement of Osmond K. Ingram, The Atlanta Constitution, Georgia, October 18, 1917 (courtesy of fultonhistory.com).
Death announcement of Osmond K. Ingram, The Birmingham Age-Herald, Alabama, October 18, 1917 (courtesy of Library of Congress).
News article about the attack on the USS Cassin by the Germans and death of Osmond K. Ingram, The New York Times, October 23, 1917 (courtesy of fultonhistory.com).
A news article about Osmond K. Ingram, The Birmingham Age-Herald, Alabama, November 25, 1917 (courtesy of Library of Congress).
News article about Osmond K. Ingram, The New York Sun, November 27, 1917 (courtesy of fultonhistory.com).
A poem submitted to newspaper in honor of World War I Navy hero Osmond K. Ingram, The Birmingham Age-Herald, Alabama, May 10, 1918 (courtesy of Library of Congress).
The announcement in the newspaper of U.S. Navy destroyer named after Osmond K. Ingram, The Birmingham Age-Herald, Alabama, May 13, 1918 (courtesy of Library of Congress).
Letter to Osmond K. Ingram's mother about a Navy ship being named after him, Jan. 11, 1919 (courtesy of Alabama Department of Archives and History).
Letter to Osmond K. Ingram's mother informing her that Ingram was receiving the Medal of Honor, Nov. 11, 1920 (courtesy of Alabama Department of Archives and History).
Announcement that Osmond K. Ingram would be receiving the Medal of Honor, The Evening Star, Washington, D.C., November 11, 1920 (courtesy of fultonhistory.com).
Osmond K. Ingram's World War I Service Card, Alabama, World War I Service Cards, 1917-1919 (courtesy of familysearch.org).
Osmond K. Ingram's military master index card, U.S. Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917-1940 (courtesy of familysearch.org).
Official U.S. Bulletin card announcing the death of Osmond K. Ingram. The bulletin incorrectly states that the "vessel was sunk". This is not the case, Ingram's action's preventing the sinking of the USS CASSIN (courtesy of Alabama Department of Archives and History).
USS Osmond Ingram (DD-255), ship named in honor of Osmond K. Ingram, Navy hero of WWI, c. 1922 (courtesy of U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command).
USS Osmond Ingram (APD-35), formerly (DD-255), ship named in honor of Osmond K. Ingram, Navy hero of WWI, July 1944 (courtesy of U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command).
MEDAL OF HONOR - TIFFANY CROSS VERSION, awarded posthumously to Gunner's Mate 1st Class Osmond K. Ingram, 1920 (donated to Birmingham Museum of Art, Alabama, in 1967 by surviving family).
Purple Heart, awarded posthumously to Osmond K. Ingram c. 1932 (donated to Birmingham Museum of Art, Alabama, in 1967 by surviving family).
WORLD WAR I VICTORY MEDAL, awarded posthumously to Osmond Kelly Ingram c. 1919-20 (donated to Birmingham Museum of Art, Alabama, in 1967 by surviving family).
Italian War Merit Cross (Croce al Merito di Guerra), awarded posthumously to Gunner's Mate 1st Class Osmond K. Ingram c. 1918 (donated to Birmingham Museum of Art, Alabama, in 1967 by surviving family).
Portuguese War Cross (Medalha da Cruz de Guerra), awarded posthumously to Osmond Kelly Ingram c. 1917 (donated to Birmingham Museum of Art, Alabama, in 1967 by surviving family).
USS Cassin (DD-43) - Painting by Charles B. Falls, depicting the gallant but futile effort of Gunner's Mate First Class Osmond K. Ingram, USN, to release the ship's depth charges just before she was hit by a torpedo from the German submarine U-61 on October 15, 1917. Ingram was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism on this occasion (courtesy of the U.S. Navy Art Collection, Washington, DC., U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph).
Artwork by Mario DeMarco for Navy Times, giving details on how Osmond K. Ingram won the Medal of Honor during the torpedoing of USS CASSIN, 1978 (courtesy of U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command).
Gunner's Mate 1st Class Osmond Kelly Ingram plaque at Kelly Ingram Park, Birmingham, Alabama.
U.S. Navy Gunner's Mate 1st Class Osmond K. Ingram's name is engraved on the interior chapel wall at the Brookwood American Military Cemetery, Brookwood, Surrey, England. This cemetery is the only American Military Cemetery of World War I in the British Isles. Ingram is the only Medal of Honor recipient to be immortalized at Brookwood (courtesy of U.S. Air Force).
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(courtesy of the National WWI Museum and Memorial)
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Wow great job John this history story should never be forgotten; he was such a hero