Sponsored by:

Navy Federal Credit Union
Thomas
J.
Dunne
October 28, 1880

–

August 5, 1956

Cemetery:

Saint Mary’s Cemetery

Thomas Dunne studied at Saint Joseph’s Seminary, Yonkers, New York, and was ordained a Catholic Priest on June 2, 1912. Before the war he was assistant pastor of Saint Joseph’s church in Manhattan, and Saint Patrick’s Church in Richmond. He was commissioned a U.S. Army chaplain on September 17, 1917, serving in World War I and earning the Distinguished Service Cross and Purple Heart. After the war he was assistant pastor of Saint Mary’s Church in Ellenville, New York, and then Holy Innocents church in Manhattan. He next became pastor of Saint Stanislaus Roman Catholic Church in Pleasantville, New York, for 23 years until his death. He also served as Chaplain of The Archdiocese of New York.

Awards Received

  • Distinguished Service Cross

    Service:

    United States Army

    Rank:

    First Lieutenant (Chaplain’s Corps)

    Regiment:

    306th Infantry Regiment

    Division:

    77th Division, American Expeditionary Forces

    Action Date:

    September 26 – November 11, 1918
    War Department, General Orders No. 14 (1923)

    The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to First Lieutenant (Chaplain’s Corps) Thomas J. Dunne, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 306th Infantry Regiment, 77th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, during the Meuse-Argonne offensive, France, September 26 to 11 November 1918. While a crossroads was being heavily shelled by enemy artillery and after several men had been killed and others wounded, Chaplain Dunne, utterly disregarding his own safety, went to their assistance and ministered to them. He constantly exposed himself to the heaviest fire in order to assist the wounded men of his regiment, at all times displaying heroic conduct and superb devotion to his duty. His splendid and consistent bravery and contempt for his own safety was a continuing inspiration to every man in his regiment and served to build up a fine sense of duty and soldierly obligation in the organization.