b. 21/03/1890 Berea, Ohio. d. 27/09/1918 near Ivoiry, France.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 27/09/1918 near Ivoiry, France.
Albert E Baesel MOH
Baesel was born in Berea, Ohio, the son of Henry and Caroline Baesel. He joined the 5th Infantry Regiment of the Ohio National Guard in 1912 as a private and later promoted to Corporal in the Ohio National Guard. In 1918, he resigned from the 5th Infantry and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 148th Infantry Regiment of the Ohio National Guard. That same year, the 148th was federalized to serve in France. A newly-chartered American Legion post was named in Baesel’s honor at a welcome-home celebration held in Berea 4 July 1919, and his posthumously-awarded Congressional Medal of Honor was presented to his widow Lydia Cole Baesel on 23 December 1922. Hastily buried during the war, Baesel’s body was returned to the U.S. and reinterred in Woodvale Cemetery, Middleburg Heights, on 11 April 1926.
MOH CITATION:
Upon hearing that a squad leader of his platoon had been severely wounded while attempting to capture an enemy machinegun nest about 200 yards in advance of the assault line and somewhat to the right, 2d Lt. Baesel requested permission to go to the rescue of the wounded Corporal. After thrice repeating his request and permission having been reluctantly given, due to the heavy artillery, rifle, and machinegun fire, and heavy deluge of gas in which the company was at the time, accompanied by a volunteer, he worked his way forward, and reaching the wounded man, placed him upon his shoulders and was instantly killed by enemy fire.
BURIAL LOCATION: WOODVALE CEMETERY, MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS, OHIO.
SECTION 7, LOT 31
LOCATION OF MEDAL: AMERICAN LEGION POST 91, BEREA, OHIO.
