| World War #1 , 1917-18 in France, U.S.A.A.S., Distinguished Service Cross
World War #2, 1942-45, Major, U.S.Air Corps, South Pacific |
| First person to climb all 67 peaks over 14,000 feet in the U.S. from 1927 to 1949. This was before Alaska was admitted as a state. First person to climb all 23 peaks over 14,000 feet in the Alps, including Switzerland, France and Italy, in one season during the summer of 1951. First person to climb all 5 peaks over 14,000 feet on Mont Blanc in France and Italy ,including the two highest peaks in the Alps, Mont Blanc, 15,782 feet, and Mont Blanc de Courmayeur, 15,595 feet, in one day on August 17, 1951, with Lionel Terray, famous French climber. First person, not of Mexican citizenship, to climb all 10 peaks over 14,000 feet in Mexico in 1952. First person to climb all 15 peaks over 16,000 feet in Africa in 1959 and 1960. First American to climb the twin peaks on Mount Kenya, Batian 17,058 and Nelion 17,022 feet, which were both climbed in one day on Jan. 20, 1959. First American to climb 6 of the peaks over 16,000 feet in the Ruwenzori, Africa, in 1960. Oldest person to climb Mount McKinley, 20,320 feet, at the age of 65 on May 11, 1961. First person to climb 120 different peaks over 14,000 feet, which is a world's record. |