Campbell, Joshua G. B.

Joshua Gabriel Baker Campbell was an American Field Service (AFS) and United States Army Ambulance Service (USAAS) ambulance driver during World War I. Originally from New York City, Campbell had been working at the British military hospital and living in Paris, France, for several months before he enlisted with the American Ambulance Field Service in 1914 (later renamed the American Field Service.) He was assigned to Section Sanitaire Etats-Unis (SSU) 1 and left for Dunkirk on January 20, 1915, to provide aid during the long-range bombardments and air raids. SSU 1 was awarded two collective citations for activities completed while Campbell was a member of the unit, including one for good service and crossing layers of toxic gas several times on July 11, 1916, and one for the evacuation of three wounded divisions in particularly hazardous conditions in September of 1916. Campbell and fellow SSU 1 driver Victor White were awarded individual citations for the evacuations of poste de secours (aid stations) at Éclusier under heavy bombardment and for taking extreme care for the safety and comfort of the wounded. Campbell became a sous-chef (assistant leader) of SSU 1, and was later awarded a Croix de Guerre for his service at Éclusier.

After AFS ceased to exist as an independent organization and was absorbed by the United States (U.S.) military after the U.S. entered the war in 1917, Campbell completed the officer’s course in Meaux, France, and became an ambulance driver for SSU 623 of the USAAS. By November 1918 he had been named First Lieutenant and commanding officer of his unit. SSU 623 was awarded two collective citations for activities completed while Campbell was a member of the unit, including one on June 6, 1918, for evacuating the wounded despite a violent and toxic atmosphere that the drivers had to cross during the offensive in May. The unit was awarded another citation on January 9, 1919 for distinguished service during the year, particularly during the Champagne action (September through October of 1918) and during the evacuation of the civilian hospital Mézières, which was fire bombed by the Germans on November 10, 1918. Campbell was awarded an individual citation for extreme courage during the offensive of May 27, 1918, when he saved the wounded that were part of the 61^st French Division under heavy bombardment and machine gun fire. Campbell also received the American Field Service Medal and the Verdun Medal, and in May of 1928 the Republic of France awarded him the Legion of Honour (Légion d’Honneur.)

[Bio courtesy of AFS Archives, New York]

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CITATION ler CORPS D'ARMÉE COLONIALE
SERVICE DE SANTÉ

CAMPBELL, Joshua, Conducteur. Engagé volontaire à la S. S. A. U. 1 depuis Janvier 1915

A fait preuve en toutes circonstances d'un calme imperturbable et d'un absolu dévouement. A assuré le service des évacuations depuis le poste de secours de l'Eclusier sous plusieurs bombardements dans des conditions de rapidité parfaites et avec un extrême souci du confort des blessés.