Louis Cukela (May 1, 1888 – March 19, 1956) was a Croatian American United States Marine numbered among the nineteen two-time recipients of the Medal of Honor. Cukela was awarded the Medal by both the US Army and the US Navy for the same action during the Battle of Soissons in World War I. He was also awarded decorations from France, Italy, and Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Famous for his broken English, best exemplified by his unforgettable saying, "If I want[ed] to send a goddamned fool, I'd go myself" (when a messenger came back with a stupid garbled reply). Biography Louis Cukela was born on May 1, 1888, in the Dalmatian city of Split (or Dubrovnik), today's Croatia (at the time Kingdom of Dalmatia, Austro-Hungarian Empire) to George and Johana (Bubrich) Cukela. His mother died in 1900. He was educated in the grade schools of Split, then attended the Merchant Academy and later, the Royal Gymnasium, both for two year courses. In 1913, Cukela emigrated to the United States and he and his brother settled in Minneapolis, Minnesota; his father and three sisters remained in Austria-Hungary. On September 21, 1914, he enlisted in the United States Army. He was serving as a corporal in Company H, 13th Infantry Regiment when he was honorably discharged on June 12, 1916. World War I Seven months later, on January 31, 1917, with World War I raging in Europe and prior to the United States entry into the war, Cukela enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He became a member of the 66th Company, 1st Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment. He was deployed to France in 1918 and fought in all the engagements in which the 5th Marines participated, from Belleau Wood to the Meuse River Crossing. Along the way he earned a commission as a second lieutenant, as well as the Medal of Honor and four Silver Star citations. From the French, there was the Légion d'honneur, the Médaille militaire (the first award of this prestigious decoration to a Marine officer) and the Croix de guerre 1914–18 with two palms and one silver star. Italy decorated him with the Croce al Merito di Guerra, while Yugoslavia weighed in with the Commander's Cross of the Royal Order of the Crown of Yugoslavia. He was awarded the Medal of Honor by both the Army and the Navy (in the "Tiffany Cross" pattern) for the same action