10 Facts About Matej Kocak

Matej Kocak, a United States Marine Corps sergeant, was posthumously awarded both the Army and Navy Medals of Honor, for "heroism above and beyond the call of duty" in action against the enemy on July 18,1918.

Matej Kocak was born in Egbell, Austria-Hungary, in 1882.

Matej Kocak emigrated to the United States in 1906, and on October 16,1907, enlisted in the Marine Corps in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and began his 11-year Marine Corps career at Marine Barracks, League Island, Pennsylvania.

Matej Kocak was discharged on October 16,1911, at the expiration of his first enlistment but reenlisted in New York City on December 26,1911, and was assigned to the Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, New York, for duty.

Matej Kocak was member of Slovak Catholic Sokol in this town.

Matej Kocak's enlistment ended on December 25,1915, at Marine Barracks, New York, New York, but he again reenlisted and transferred to Marine Barracks, Naval Station, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Matej Kocak was killed in action on October 4,1918, and is buried in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne, France.

Sergeant Kocak was one of five Marines during World War I to be awarded both the Army and Navy Medals of Honor.

Later the same day, Sergeant Matej Kocak organized French colonial soldiers who had become separated from their company and led them in an attack on another machine-gun nest which was put out of action.

Sergeant Matej Kocak distinguished himself while serving with the 66th Company, Fifth Regiment, 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces at Soissons, France, 18 to 22 July 1918.