TULSA, Okla. -- The commander of the Tulsa District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recognized the deputy chief of Operations Division for significant contributions to Army engineering recently.
Tulsa District Commander, Col. Richard A. Pratt, presented the de Fleury Medal to John Marnell, for demonstrating outstanding leadership, expertise and budgeting skills during his 30 year career.
“Mr. Marnell’s aggressive budget development and execution has ensured that the Tulsa District Operations and Maintenance Program averages a 97 percent execution rate and ranks in the top two districts within Southwestern Division,” Pratt said. “His immeasurable dedication to the engineer mission represents all of the principles for which the Bronze Order of the de Fleury Medal is awarded.”
During his career, Marnell served in various managerial and leadership positions in the Tulsa District. In 1990, he developed a district-wide plan to modernize recreation areas that was adopted by the Southwestern Division. Today, Marnell is responsible for civil works lake projects and complex issues at 38 lake projects in Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma.
"Being recognized by the leadership at the Tulsa District as worthy of a de Fleury Medal is a great honor," Marnell said. “It has been my privilege to work for a great organization, the US Army Corps of Engineers, throughout my career, and I owe this award to the help and support of a lot of great people. My thanks to everyone in the Tulsa District who has helped me to be successful.”
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. American forces launched the mission under the 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.