Julia Hunt Catlin Park DePew Taufflieb

Julia Hunt Catlin Park DePew Taufflieb was the first American woman to be awarded the Croix de Guerre and Legion d'honneur by France in 1917 for turning her Chateau d'Annel into a 300-bed hospital during World War I.

Born on July 6, 1864, she was a philanthropist and socialite. She was married to Trenor L. Park (son of Trenor W. Park), who died in 1906. In 1911, she married C. Mitchell Depew (nephew of Chauncey Depew), but the couple divorced in 1916. That same year she married General Emile Adolphe Taufflieb who commanded France's 37th Army Corps and was a member of the French Senate. She died on December 17, 1947 in Cannes, France.

Julia Hunt Catlin Park DePew Taufflieb turned her chateau into an Allied military hospital at the front lines of World War I. She fled for England after the German army had made progress towards Paris, but ended up returning after they had retreated. Her actions moved many other Americans living in France to open military hospitals. She received France's highest military award, the Legion d'honneur, and the Croix de Guerre in 1917.