U.S. Citizens Who Received Estonian State Awards,
1920-1940

U.S. Army officers providing help to an Estonian orphanage school in 1919. (Eesti Filmiarhiiv)

The Cross of Liberty was established by President Konstantin Päts in 1919 to honor people for their services during the Estonian War of Independence. [N.B. When the American Red Cross was militarized during World War I, those men who provided ambulance and field hospital services in battle zones received commissions from the U.S. Secretary of War and were required to wear U.S. Army uniforms at all times to reflect their military ranks.]

Vabadusrist (I, i) – Cross of Liberty (for military services)

Commissioner John A. Gade, Diplomatic & Military Representative to the Baltics, 1920 [Read his bio]

Vabadusrist (I, ii) – Cross of Liberty (for military services)

Col. John C. Groome, 1920 (Baltic Director, American Relief Administration)
Lt. Col. E.J. Dawley, 1920 (American Commission to Negotiate Peace)
Lt. Col. Edward W. Ryan, 1920 (American Red Cross Regional Director) [Read his story]
Maj. B. B. Powers, 1920 (American Relief Administration)
Capt. F.C. Kenower, 1920 (American Red Cross Director for Estonia)
Capt. Allen Campbell Robinson, 1920 (American Red Cross)
Capt. Hereward White, 1920 (American Red Cross)
Capt. John C. Miller, 1920 (Chief, American Relief Administration in Estonia)


Vabadusrist (I, iii) – Cross of Liberty (for military services)

Maj. J.V. Malcom, 1920
Capt. Jay F. Browne, 1920
Capt. A.E. Franklin, 1920 (American Red Cross)
Capt, J. Atwood Whitaker, 1920 (American Red Cross)
Capt. Loy W. Henderson, 1920 (American Red Cross) [Read his story]
Capt. Wilbur F. Howell, 1920 (American Red Cross)
Capt. Archie McAllister, 1920 (American Red Cross doctor)
Capt. George Pollatts, 1920 (American Red Cross)
Capt. John R. Ranson, 1920 (American Red Cross)
Capt. Harry C. Rindge, 1920 (American Red Cross)
Capt. Lewis R. Tryon, 1920 (American Red Cross)
Capt. S.P. Massey, 1920 (American Red Cross)
Lt. Clifford A. Blanton, 1920 (American Red Cross) [died in Narva on March 26, 1920] [Read his story]
Lt. Rosser Bridwell, 1920 (American Red Cross)
Lt. Lee D. Butler, 1920 (American Red Cross)
Lt. David Caz, 1920 (American Red Cross)
Lt. A.A. Grandstedt, 1920 (American Relief Administration)
Lt. Roy K. Hockensmith, 1920 (American Red Cross)
Lt. William Hunter, 1920 (American Red Cross)
Lt. W. Kay, 1920 (American Red Cross)
Lt. Rouel de Lassus, 1920 (American Red Cross)
Lt. Hugo R. Norbeck, 1920 (American Red Cross)
Lt. B.G. Rogers, 1920
Lt. Willard C. Smith, 1920 (American Red Cross)
Lt. John Thors, 1920 (American Relief Administration Assistant)
Lt. Marcel R. Voyes, 1920 (American Red Cross)
Lt. George W. Winfield, 1920 (American Red Cross) [died in Narva on March 28, 1920] [Read his story]

Vabadusrist (III, i) - Cross of Liberty (for civilian services)

Minister Frederick W.B. Coleman, 1925 [Read his bio]
Commissioner Evan E. Young, 1922 [Read his bio]

Vabadusrist (III, ii) - Cross of Liberty (for civilian services)

Samuel Eliot Morison, 1925 (American Commission to Negotiate Peace) [Read his story]
Chargé d'Affaires John Campbell White, 1925 (Counselor, U.S. Legation in Riga)

Vabadusrist (III, iii) – Cross of Liberty (for civilian services)

Durrell L. Noyes, 1922 (American Relief Administration)
Consul Harold B. Quarton, 1925 [Read his bio]
Capt. Trevor W. Swett, U.S. Military Attaché, 1925

The Order of the Cross of the Eagle is bestowed in order to give recognition for military services and for services rendered in the field of Estonia's national defense. It was established in 1928 by the Estonian Defense League in honor of the 10th anniversary of Estonia's independence.

Kotkaristi Teenetemärk (I) – Order of the Cross of the Eagle

Minister John Van Antwerp MacMurray, 1936 [Read his bio]

Kotkaristi Teenetemärk (III) – Order of the Cross of the Eagle

Maj. George G. Arneman, U.S. Mililtary Attaché, 1932
Maj. Gustav B. Guenther, U.S. Military Attaché, 1938
Maj. George E. Huthsteiner, U.S. Military Attaché, 1940 
Maj. William E. Shipp, U.S. Military Attaché, 1936

The Order of the Estonian Red Cross is bestowed in order to give recognition for humanitarian services rendered in the interests of the Estonian people and for saving lives. It was established in 1920 by the Estonian Red Cross. [N.B. Some U.S. Citizens won multiple* orders.]

Eesti Punase Risti Mälestusmärk (I, i) – Order of the Estonian Red Cross

The American Red Cross (ARC), 1926
John Barton, 1926 (ARC Director)

Eesti Punase Risti Mälestusmärk (I, ii) – Order of the Estonian Red Cross

Barron Collier, 1933
Edward R. Johnson, 1936 (Rotary Club President)
Ernest Swift, 1934 (ARC Executive Secretary)

Eesti Punase Risti Mälestusmärk (II, i) – Order of the Estonian Red Cross

William Bainbridge, 1929 (U.S. Navy Commander and doctor)
Ernest Percy Bicknell, 1929 (ARC Col.)*
Harry E. Carlson, 1932 (U.S. Consul in Tallinn)
Laurence L. Doggett, 1937
Thomas W. Gosling, 1936 (ARC Director)
Edgar Erskine Hume, 1931 (U.S. Army doctor)
John R. Mott, 1938
Alexander Potter, 1936 (Rotary Club Secretary)
Allen Campbell Robinson, 1927 (ARC Capt. Robinson also won the Liberty Cross)
Hereward White, 1927 (ARC Lt. White also won the Liberty Cross)*

Eesti Punase Risti Mälestusmärk (II, ii) – Order of the Estonian Red Cross

Elsie Graves Benedict, 1926 (ARC Section Head)*
Lee D. Butler, 1927 (ARC Lt. Butler also won the Liberty Cross)
Laura R. Carlson, 1934 (wife of U.S. Consul Harry E. Carlson)
John Fenger, 1936
Herbert S. Gott, 1927 (YMCA Director)*
Johanna Hobiger, 1931
Katharina Olmstedt, 1926 (ARC Head Nurse)
Ruth Spencer-Beekam, 1927 (ARC instructor)*
Anna Milo Uphjohn, 1933 (ARC)

Eesti Punase Risti Mälestusmärk (III) – Order of the Estonian Red Cross

Maude T. Barret, 1923 (ARC)
Ernest Percy Bicknell, 1922 (ARC Col.)*
Elsie Graves Benedict, 1924 (ARC Section Head)*
Clifford A. Blanton, 1923 (ARC Lt. Blanton also won the Liberty Cross) [d. Narva]
James Breslin, 1923 (ARC doctor)
Rosser Bridwell, 1921 (ARC Lt. Bridwell also won the Liberty Cross)
Lee D. Butler, 1921 (ARC Lt. Butler also won the Liberty Cross)
Daniel F. Cameron, 1923 (ARC)
David Caz, 1921 (ARC Lt. Caz also won the Liberty Cross)
Charles R. Clark, 1923 (ARC)
Neil W. Croch, 1923 (ARC)
Lois Diehl, 1938 (YWCA Secretary St. Louis)
Hazel M. Drake, 1923 (ARC)
C.W. Eddington, 1923 (ARC Director)
Martha Finley, 1938 (YWCA)
Aurelia S. George, 1923 (ARC)
Herbert S. Gott, 1937 (YMCA Director)*
Hugh R. Griffin, 1923 (ARC)
Mrs. I.K. Grove, 1923 (ARC)
James Harden, 1921 (ARC Lt.)
William Harrington, 1923 (ARC)
Hady Haulgate, 1921 (ARC Lt.)
Loy W. Henderson, 1923 (ARC Capt. Henderson also won the Liberty Cross)
Roy K. Hockensmith, 1921 (ARC Lt. Hockensmith also won the Liberty Cross)
Wilbur F. Howell, 1923 (ARC Capt. Howell also won the Liberty Cross)
William Hunter, 1921 (ARC Lt. Hunter also won the Liberty Cross)
Samuel Itsoch, 1922 (ARC warehouse manager)
William Key, 1923 (ARC)
William A. Jacques, 1923 (ARC)
Laurece Locke Doggett, 1937 (YMCA)
G. Hilmer Lundbeck, 1938 (Swedish-American Lines Director)
Harry Major, 1921 (ARC Lt.)
B. John Manning, 1923 (ARC)
Orman L. Martin, 1923 (ARC)
J.H. Mason Knox, 1923 (ARC)
S.P. Massey, 1921 (ARC Capt. also won the Liberty Cross)
Archie McAllister, 1923 (ARC Capt./doctor McAllister also won the Liberty Cross )
Margot McGregor, 1922 (ARC nurse)
John C. Miller, 1921 (American Relief Admin. Corp. also won the Liberty Cross)
Janet C. Moore, 1922 (ARC nurse)
John R. Mott, 1938 (YMCA President)
Elisabeth Moseley, 1922 (ARC nurse)
A.B. Musa, 1921 (ARC Capt.)
Hugo R. Norbeck, 1921 (ARC Lt. Norbeck also won the Liberty Cross)
George Pollatts, 1921 (ARC Capt. Pollants also won the Liberty Cross)
John Ranson, 1921 (ARC Capt. Ranson also won the Liberty Cross)
Harry C. Rindge, 1923 (ARC Capt. Rindge also won the Liberty Cross)
Anna Roowe, 1922 (ARC nurse)
Edward W. Ryan, 1921 (ARC Lt. Col. Ryan also won the Liberty Cross)
Clara Skoonia, 1922 (ARC nurse)
Peeter-Alexander Speek, 1939 (WPA)
Ruth Spencer-Beekam, 1924 (ARC instructor)
John Thors, 1920 (American Relief Admin. Lt. Thors also won the Liberty Cross)
Francis T. Tollin, 1921 (ARC Capt.)
Lewis R. Tryon, 1921 (ARC Capt. Tryon also won the Liberty Cross)
Viktor C. Vaughn, 1922 (ARC nurse)
Marcel R. Voyes, 1923 (ARC Lt. Voyes also won the Liberty Cross)
Jay Walker, 1921 (ARC Capt.)
Hereward White, 1921 (ARC Lt. White also won the Liberty Cross)*
George W. Winfield, 1923 (ARC Lt. Winfield also won the Liberty Cross) [d. Narva]
J. Whetaken, 1921 (ARC doctor)
Guy Wolfe, 1921 (ARC Lt.)

Eesti Punase Risti Mälestusmärk (V) – Order of the Estonian Red Cross

Augustus Pierce, 1939 (Union of Estonians Abroad)

Eesti Punase Risti Mälestusmärk (I kuld) – Order of the Estonian Red Cross

Julius Sarei, 1939 (American-Estonian activist)
August Valdman, 1939 (American-Estonian activist)
Arnold-Friedrich Vesterberg, 1939 (Estonian Honorary Consul in Detroit)
Johannes Weeks, 1939 (American-Estonian activist)

The Order of the White Star was instituted by President Konstantin Pats in 1936 to give Estonian citizens recognition for services rendered in state public service or local government and to non-Estonians for services rendered to the Estonian state.

Valgetähe Teenetemärk (III) – Order of the White Star

Clarence A Manning, 1937 (Columbia University Professor)

Valgetähe Teenetemärk (IV) – Order of the White Star

Clifford Clark Coldren, 1937 (Estonian Honorary Consul in the U.S.)
Walter E. Hetman, 1939 (Estonian Honorary Consul in the U.S.)
N.O. Pedrick, 1939 (Estonian Honorary Consul in the U.S.)

Valgetähe Teenetemärk (V) - Order of the White Star

Barron Collier, 1933
Edward R. Johnson, 1936
John R. Mott, 1938
Ernest J. Swift, 1934