Lotus N. Mobley, French Croix de Guerre letter and certificate
Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: S1879
Scope and Contents
This collection includes a September 1, 1925 letter signed by United States Adjutant General John B. Shuman and sent to Jesse I. Mobley of Indianapolis, Indiana. The letter accompanied a certificate granting the Croix de Guerre award from the French Ministry of War (République Française Ministère de la Guerre) in Paris, France to Lotus N. Mobley, dated February 28, 1925, for his service fighting against the Germans and their allies during World War I (OBC029).
Dates
- 1925/02/28; 1925/09/01
Creator
- United States. War Department (Organization)
Language of Materials
Material in French and English.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
Lotus Noble Mobley was born on September 15, 1896 to Jessie L. and Anna (Evans) Mobley in Hartwell, Pike County, Indiana. He had a brother named Everett J. He moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa with his father after the death of his mother. Mobley served in the Iowa National Guard from 1911 to 1914. When troops were sent to the U.S.-Mexican border, he enlisted with the U.S. Army, mustering in as a private at Camp Dodge in Johnston, Iowa on June 26, 1916. Mobley was sent to Brownstown, Texas to guard the border. He was appointed as a corporal on December 5, 1916 and mustered out on January 15, 1917 at Fort Des Moines.
When the United States entered World War I, Mobley joined the U.S. Army as a volunteer on April 1, 1917. He was sent to Clinton, Iowa for guard duty and was later deployed to France with Company C of the 168th Regiment in the Rainbow Division. Mobley was promoted to sergeant on August 20, 1917. He was later transferred to Company L, 102nd Regiment, 26th Division in June 1918. For his display of exceptional courage in rescuing a wounded man from the field under heavy shell and machine-gun fire on July 23, 1918 near Trugny, France, Mobley was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (posthumously).
Mobley died on October 24, 1918, reportedly of wounds he received the previous July, at Base Hospital No. 19 during in the Meuse-Argonne offensive in France. He was buried in Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial in Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, Lorraine, France. Mobley posthumously received the Silver Star for gallantry in action, as well as the French Croix de Guerre.
Sources:
Ancestry.com. "Lotus N. Mobley." Kansas, U.S., Camp Funston Military Records, 1914-1919. Accessed May 24, 2022. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Lotus N. Mobley." U.S., Adjutant General Military Records, 1631-1976. Accessed May 24, 2022. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Lotus N. Mobley." U.S., Army Transport Service Arriving and Departing Passenger Lists, 1910-1939. Accessed May 24, 2022. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Lotus N. Mobley." U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S., Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942-1949. Accessed May 24, 2022. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Findagrave.com. "Sgt Lotus Noble Mobley." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed May 24, 2022. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/55995161/lotus-noble-mobley.
"Is Decorated for Bravery, Hero Missing." Cedar Rapids Gazette (IA), June 21, 1919. Accessed June 25, 2020. Newspapers.com.
"Lotus Mobley, Killed in World War, is Cited for Bravery." Cedar Rapids Gazette (IA), November 22, 1934. Accessed June 25, 2020. Newspapers.com.
"Lotus Mobley of This City Reported Dead; Then Said to Be on Way Home." Cedar Rapids Gazette (IA), June 21, 1919. Accessed May 25, 2022. Newspapers.com.
"Missing Soldier Decorated." Evening Times-Republican (Marshalltown, IA), June 21, 1919. Accessed May 25, 2022. Newspapers.com.
When the United States entered World War I, Mobley joined the U.S. Army as a volunteer on April 1, 1917. He was sent to Clinton, Iowa for guard duty and was later deployed to France with Company C of the 168th Regiment in the Rainbow Division. Mobley was promoted to sergeant on August 20, 1917. He was later transferred to Company L, 102nd Regiment, 26th Division in June 1918. For his display of exceptional courage in rescuing a wounded man from the field under heavy shell and machine-gun fire on July 23, 1918 near Trugny, France, Mobley was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (posthumously).
Mobley died on October 24, 1918, reportedly of wounds he received the previous July, at Base Hospital No. 19 during in the Meuse-Argonne offensive in France. He was buried in Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial in Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, Lorraine, France. Mobley posthumously received the Silver Star for gallantry in action, as well as the French Croix de Guerre.
Sources:
Ancestry.com. "Lotus N. Mobley." Kansas, U.S., Camp Funston Military Records, 1914-1919. Accessed May 24, 2022. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Lotus N. Mobley." U.S., Adjutant General Military Records, 1631-1976. Accessed May 24, 2022. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Lotus N. Mobley." U.S., Army Transport Service Arriving and Departing Passenger Lists, 1910-1939. Accessed May 24, 2022. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Ancestry.com. "Lotus N. Mobley." U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S., Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942-1949. Accessed May 24, 2022. http://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
Findagrave.com. "Sgt Lotus Noble Mobley." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed May 24, 2022. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/55995161/lotus-noble-mobley.
"Is Decorated for Bravery, Hero Missing." Cedar Rapids Gazette (IA), June 21, 1919. Accessed June 25, 2020. Newspapers.com.
"Lotus Mobley, Killed in World War, is Cited for Bravery." Cedar Rapids Gazette (IA), November 22, 1934. Accessed June 25, 2020. Newspapers.com.
"Lotus Mobley of This City Reported Dead; Then Said to Be on Way Home." Cedar Rapids Gazette (IA), June 21, 1919. Accessed May 25, 2022. Newspapers.com.
"Missing Soldier Decorated." Evening Times-Republican (Marshalltown, IA), June 21, 1919. Accessed May 25, 2022. Newspapers.com.
Extent
0.07 Cubic Feet (1 folder, 1 large oversize folder)
Arrangement
This collection consists of two items.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a records transfer from the Indiana State Museum of a donation from Jessie I. Mobley.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed in 1998 by Jennifer Born. EAD finding aid created 2020/06/25 by Laura Eliason. Collection reprocessed 2022/05/25 by Brittany Kropf. EAD finding aid revised 2022/05/25 by Brittany Kropf.
Creator
- United States. War Department (Organization)
- France. Ministère de la guerre (Organization)
- Title
- Lotus N. Mobley, French Croix de Guerre letter and certificate
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
