Distinguished Service Medals
a.k.a Medals of Honor
(Awarded from 1920 to 2023)
Grand Master Charles Larkin Bass, in 1920, requested Robert Jesse Travis, PGM, to make five honorary presentations on behalf of the Grand Lodge. Brother Travis then addressed the Grand Lodge.
Every Mason must labor without weariness and hope of any reward. This is his obligation and his duty. However, we all like to know that our labors have been appreciated, and when the appreciation is expressed, it serves as an encouragement to labor on.
The Grand Lodge intends to present yearly, Medals of Honor to its faithful servants and workers, and this year we have selected the following five brethren to receive these medals (see 1920).
Special recognition had been given to outstanding members, usually for long and faithful service. Some were cited in Grand Lodge for extraordinary Masonic works; now Brother Bass was initiating a program to present visual evidence of appreciation, the Medal of Honor. (The Medal of Honor was later called the Distinguished Service Medal.)
The medals were limited to five recipients each year. For several years no medals were presented, and in some years, less than five. 1926 only one was given; it went to Brother William Clarke, author of Early and Historic Freemasonry in Georgia. The Grand Master felt that Brother Clarke should be the sole recipient that year due to his outstanding achievement of compiling and writing the history. (About 1978, the awards were limited to two each year.)
Recipients
1920
Dr. J. W. Taylor, Luthersville Lodge No. 236, Luthersville.
R. L. Cox, Generous Warren Lodge No. 20, Monroe.
George H. Fields, Orion Lodge No. 8, Bainbridge.
J. A. McDonald, Furlow Lodge No. 124, Plains.
Joseph C. Greenfield, Gate City Lodge No. 2, Atlanta.
1921
Dr. Michael Hoke, Gate City Lodge No. 2, Atlanta.
1922
Reverend James M. Rushin, Rushton Lodge No. 281, Plains.
A. Simmons, Kingston Lodge No. 394, Kingston.
T. McCutchen, Chattahoochee Lodge No. 61, Franklin.
1923
Thomas J. Carling, Mabel Lodge No. 255, Macon.
James B. Clements, Irwinville Lodge No. 315, Irwinville.
1925
E. H. McHan, Fairburn Lodge No. 180, Fairburn.
1926
William B. Clarke, Solomon’s Lodge No. 1, Savannah.
1929
Joseph K. Orr, Mt. Hermon Lodge No. 304, Columbus.
John Travis, Landrum Lodge No. 48, Savannah.
A. Johnson, Oostanaula Lodge No. 113, Rome.
E. V. Thrash, Gate City Lodge No. 2, Atlanta.
1936
Kendrick Lamb, Atlantic Lodge No. 82, Brunswick.
Raymund Daniel, Gate City Lodge No. 2, Atlanta.
Don R. Roberts, Ocean Lodge No. 214, Brunswick.
Isadore Heiman, Fulton Lodge No. 216, Atlanta.
1937
Reverend Firley Baum, Capitol View Lodge No. 640, Atlanta.
Frank F. Baker, Macon Lodge No. 5, Macon.
1941
George Starr Peck, Palestine Lodge No. 486, Atlanta.
(awarded Bar in 1944 and 1947).
1949
Cary W. Anderson, Clinton Lodge No. 54, Savannah.
John C. Kaufman, Ocean Lodge No. 214, Brunswick.
Daniel W. Locklin. Mt. Vernon Lodge No. 22, Athens.
1953
Virlyn B. Smith, Fairburn Lodge No. 180, Fairburn.
1954
H. Sol Clark, Zerubbabel Lodge No. 15, Savannah.
1955
Dr. Thomas W. Sewell, Coweta Lodge No. 60, Newnan.
1959
Oscar D. White, Buckhead Lodge No. 712, Atlanta.
1962
Harry E. Tice, Atlanta Lodge No. 59, Atlanta.
1963
Sidney Parks, Fulton Lodge No. 216, Atlanta.
1966
James Wolling Davis, Sardis Lodge No. 107, Atlanta.
1969
Dewey Harold Wollstein, Cherokee Lodge No. 66, Rome.
John A. Dunaway, Buckhead Lodge No. 712, Atlanta.
NOTE: The awards in 1969 to Brothers Wollstein and Dunaway were Citations of Merit presented by Grand Master Durward B. Mercer for their years of devoted service to the fraternity.
1970
Robert S. Dennis, Grant Park Lodge No. 604, Atlanta.
1971
Dr. Hudnall G. Weaver, Macon Lodge No. 5, Macon.
1972
Preston Y. Luther, Macon Lodge No. 5, Macon.
1973
Walter M. Callaway, Jr., Oakland City Lodge No. 373, Atlanta.
1974
John W. Outler, Rutland Lodge No. 298, Macon.
1975
Carl F. Lester, Jr., Battle Hill Lodge No. 523, Atlanta.
Willard Register, Columbian Lodge No. 7, Columbus.
Joseph H. Kite, Piedmont Lodge No. 447, Atlanta.
1976
John H. Williamson, Ft. Hawkins Lodge No. 418, Macon.
Hugh L. Smith, Dougherty Lodge No. 491, Albany.
John W. Zuber, Buckhead Lodge No. 712, Atlanta.
1977
William M. Drinnon, Mabel Lodge No. 255, Macon.
James E. Moseley, Meridian Sun Lodge No. 28, Griffin.
James R. Belflower, Tifton Lodge No. 47, Tifton.
1978
Hoyt B. Smith, East Point Lodge No. 288, East Point.
Wood L. Lovell, Morningside Lodge No. 295, Atlanta.
1979
James T. Stanley, Panthersville Lodge No. 543, Decatur.
Carl J. Woeltjen, Solomon’s Lodge No. 1, Savannah.
1980
William W. Daniel, Grant Park Lodge No. 604, Atlanta.
Lamar Fain, Battle Hill Lodge No. 523, Lithia Springs.
1981
Fred Mealer, Oothacaloga Lodge No. 154, Calhoun.
Woodrow Houston, Magnolia Lodge No. 86, Blakely.
1982
Thomas Shean Perry, Gate City Lodge No. 2, Atlanta.
William H. Rosier, Hinesville Lodge No. 271, Hinesville.
1983
Thomas Telford Irvin, Mt. Airy Lodge No. 141, Mt. Airy.
Robert Mark Henderson, Tucker Lodge No. 42, Tucker.
1984
J. Theodore Phillips, Coosa Lodge No. 622, Coosa.
Walter Thomas Moody, Jr., Mabel Lodge No. 255, Macon.
1985
Fred Lamar Pearson, Jr., St. John The Baptist Lodge No. 184, Valdosta.
Samuel Bennet Owens, Blackshear Lodge No. 270, Blackshear.
1986
Thomas Raymond Gaines, Tyrian Lodge No. 111, Warner Robins.
Thomas Lancelot Reese, II, Benevolent Lodge No. 3, Milledgeville.
1987
Grady E. McCannon, Tucker Lodge No. 42, Tucker.
Willie Pershin Hammond, College Park Lodge No. 454, College Park.
1988
William D. English, III, Samuel S. Lawrence Lodge No. 721, Marietta.
Joseph E. Johnson, Swainsboro Lodge No. 244, Swainsboro.
1989
Charles Brantley Morgan, Lavonia Lodge No. 241, Lavonia.
Henry Ernest Yarbrough, Rising Star Lodge No. 4, Eatonton.
1990
Oliver F. Grantham, Jr., Grant Park Lodge No. 604, Atlanta.
Robert E. Moore, Tyrian Lodge No. 111, Warner Robins.
1991
Bobby Blackman Simmons, Tyrian Lodge No. 111, Bonaire.
John Slayden Perry, Forest Park Lodge No. 399, Forest Park.
1992
James E. Sledge, Samuel S. Lawrence Lodge No. 721, Marietta.
John E. Jones, Samuel S. Lawrence Lodge No. 721, Marietta.
1993
Kenneth White, Rex Lodge No. 251, Ellenwood.
David L. Canaday, Fairburn Lodge No. 180, Fairburn.
1994
J. Benny Allen, Etowah Lodge No. 222, Dawsonville.
John Rha McCleskey, Jr., Pinehurst Lodge No. 473, Pinehurst.
1995
Larry M. Griggers, Hampton Lodge No. 70, Hampton.
Bobby Joe Townsend, Leland Lodge No. 686, Mableton.
1996
Sheldon Little, Fulton Lodge No. 216, Atlanta.
Joseph William Powell, II, Fort Benning Lodge No. 579, Columbus.
1997
Charles A. Wofford, Gate City Lodge No. 2, Atlanta.
Phillip Harold Floyd, Buford Lodge No. 292, Buford.
1998
Charles A. Burroughs, Amity Lodge No. 731, Colbert.
Marcus V. Hall, Primrose Lodge No. 79, Bowman.
1999
William Ray Carver, Jr., Dougherty Lodge No. 591, Albany.
Charles C. White, Jr., Stephen’s Lodge No. 586, Manchester.
2000
Roy Callaway, Benevolent Lodge No. 3, Milledgeville.
Ted C. Collins, Millwood Lodge No. 198, Unadilla.
2001
Earl Densmore, Jr., Sonora Lodge No. 221, Sonoraville.
James B. Phillips, Oothcaloga Lodge No. 154, Calhoun.
2002
Merrill L. Clark, Walton Lodge No. 200, Shady Dale.
Ted H. Hendon, Bartlett Lodge No. 139, Dallas.
2003
Harry A. Bruno, Cochran Lodge No. 217, Cochran.
Harry Cuppett, Jr., Jeffersonville Lodge No. 133, Jeffersonville.
2004
George W. Campbell, Cartersville Lodge No. 63, Cartersville.
Howard M. Howell, Cartersville Lodge No. 63, Cartersville.
2005
Ralph H. Chandler, Clarkston Lodge No. 492, Clarkston.
Robert (Bobby) L. Jones, Clarkston Lodge No. 492, Clarkston.
2006
Carlton T. Ethridge, Riverdale Lodge No. 709, Riverdale.
Gary H. Leazer, Clarkston Lodge No. 492, Clarkston.
2007
Jack L. Hepner, Zerubbabel Lodge No. 15, Savannah.
Ernest A. McCorkle, Richard T. Turner Lodge No. 116, Pooler.
2008
Donald I. Dekalb, Tyrian Lodge No. 111, Warner Robins.
J. Lynn Turner, Travelers Rest Lodge No. 65, Montezuma.
2009
William T. Economy, Dalton Lodge No. 105, Dalton.
Wilford M. Hall, Dalton Lodge No. 105, Dalton.
2010
Storey A. Tate, Unity Lodge No. 36, Jefferson.
Jeremy C. Conlon, Clarkston Lodge No. 492, Clarkston.
2011
John E. Kierbow, Stephens Lodge No. 586, Manchester.
Harold D. Culpepper, Kimbrough Lodge No. 118, Cataula.
2012
Dan Boyles Jr., Mountain Park Lodge No. 729, Stone Mountain.
Thomas Richard Conn, Grayson Lodge No. 549, Grayson.
2013
Charles E. Long, Morning Star Lodge No. 349, Fairmont.
Mark A. Bradley, Unity Lodge No. 36, Jefferson.
2014
J. Timothy Ingram, Pickens Star Lodge No. 220, Ellijay.
Thomas E. Gurley, Dallas Lodge No. 182, Dallas.
2015
Joseph W. Watson, Rutland Lodge No. 298, Macon.
Michael A. Kessler, Fulton Lodge No. 216, Atlanta.
2016
James C. Newsome, Jr., Caledonia Lodge No. 121, Rome.
S. Joe Colvard, Philomathea Lodge No. 25, Elberton.
2017
Wiley Q. Forrester, III, Buford Lodge No. 292, Buford.
Donald C. Combs, Frank F. Baker Lodge No. 46, Garden City.
2018
Tom D. Bruce, Tucker Lodge No. 42, Tucker.
Raymond C. Gray, Sr., Tucker Lodge No. 42, Tucker.
2019
M. Gary Monk, Roswell Lodge No. 165, Roswell.
T. Ray Sikes, Mansfield Lodge No. 489, Mansfield.
2020
F. Keith Hales, Pickens Star Lodge No. 220, Jasper.
James Robert Harris, Hickory Flat Lodge No. 205, Canton.
2021
R. Russell (Rusty) Cordle, Mableton Lodge No. 171, Mableton.
James A. Childress, James W. Akin No. 537, Taylorsville.
2022
Jeffery L. Smith, Lawrenceville Lodge No. 131, Lawrenceville.
Van S. (Mac) McGee, Meridian Sun No. 26, Griffin.
2023
Paul H. Carter, Meridian Sun Lodge No. 26, Griffin.
Dennis W. Hewatt, Roswell Lodge No. 165, Roswell.