TULSA, Okla. – The commander of the Tulsa District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recognized the chief of Natural Resources and Recreation Branch for significant contributions to Army engineering recently.
Tulsa District Commander, Col. Richard A. Pratt, presented the de Fleury Medal to Stephen L. Nolen for demonstrating outstanding leadership and managerial skills while working for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
“Mr. Nolen continues to provide outstanding service to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. His immeasurable dedication to the engineer mission represents all of the principles for which the Bronze Order of the de Fleury Medal is awarded,” said Pratt. “His superb professionalism has established him as one of the Tulsa District’s environmental compliance subject matter experts.”
A 30 year employee at the Tulsa District, Nolen served in various managerial and leadership positions in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
He developed and negotiated several biological opinions with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and developed exceptional artificial nesting islands for endangered Interior Least Terns. Nolen also completed two water supply reallocation studies for John Redmond Reservoir and Texoma Reservoir that exceeded customer expectations.
"The de Fleury Medal is the highest achievement available to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employee, and I am honored to be in the same company of previous awardees," said Nolen.
The de Fleury Medal is presented to individuals who render significant service or support to an element of the Engineer Regiment and is named for Francois Louis Tesseidre de Fleury, of St. Hippolyte, France.
Trained as an engineer in the French Army, and a veteran of the Corsican Campaign, in 1777 de Fleury volunteered to serve with the Continental Army during the American Revolution. The Continental Congress appointed de Fleury a captain of engineers, and at the battles of Fort Mifflin and Brandywine, he distinguished himself, quickly earning promotion to the rank of lieutenant colonel.
In 1779 the British conquered two small forts on each bank of the Hudson River and began building a defensive fortification at a peninsula named Stony Point. Stony Point stretched a half-mile into the Hudson River and gave the British control of a strategic position on the waterway. British occupation of the peninsula forced the Continental Army to reroute its communication and supply lines and provided a base of operations from which the British could launch an attack on West Point, less than 15 miles upriver.
On July 15, 1779, the Continental Army attempted a surprise attack on a British Defensive positions at Stony Point, New York. The mission was launched under cover of darkness and soldiers turned in their ammunition to minimize noise that might alert the British to the surprise attack. De Fleury led a bayonet charge up a steep slope to the enemy’s defensive position, jumped the wall and ran to the flag pole where he quickly cut down the Union Jack, wresting control of the vital strategic position from the Royal Army.
For his actions, the Continental Congress praised his valor and ordered a medal be struck in his honor. The de Fleury Medal was the first Congressional Medal struck.
The Engineer Regiment presents four levels of de Fleury Medals. The highest level, gold de Fleury Medal, is presented to an individual whose contributions to the Army Engineer Regiment exemplify boldness, courage and commitment to a strong national defense.
The silver de Fleury Medal is presented to an individual who has rendered outstanding and significant support or service to the Engineer Regiment.
The bronze de Fleury Medal is presented to an individual who has rendered significant service or support to an element of the Engineer Regiment.
The steel de Fleury is presented to an individual whose selfless service assures mobility, enhances protection, enables expeditionary logistics, and builds capacity to support the success of missions and operations in an era of persistent conflict.