Show IF SU L E R M MEDAL E D A L g r A W 4 N in S j n S Z 1 05 X AR 1 by ELMO SCOTT WATSON i HE old saying about peace hath ua its victories no less renowned renew noil than war nar has taken on a new meaning since the establishment of a new arm army y award this Is the soldiers modal medal and under tile the provision of an act of congress approved july 2 1020 1920 one of these medals will be presented by the president under such rules and regulations as he may proscribe but not in tile the name of congress to any person who while serving in any capacity with the united states army shall distinguish ting himself or herself by heroism not involving actual conflict with an nemy enemy under the provisions of tile the act a soldiers medal may imay riot not be awarded for heroism performed prior to july 2 1020 there Is a further requirement that a recommendation must have been made within two years icara of the act of heroism made mada the basis of the recommendation and that an award if made must be approved within three years of the date of an act of heroism only one soldiers Sold lers medal lle our other awards tor for valor and distinction will he be issued to any one person but for each succeeding deed or act sufficient lelent to warrant the award of the soldiers meal an oak leif leaf cluster will be authorized zed for attaching to the suspension ribbon according to the secretary of war the soldiers medal will rank fourth in precedence among our several beveral medals awarded for valor and distinction the design approved by the secretary of war early this year was submitted by gaetana cecere of new york city it was selected from among several by the commission of fine arts and so BO in point of design meets the approval of the count rys highest tribunal in this field of art the design Is octagonal in contour and the medals are struck oft off from bronze the obverse illustrates an eagle displayed standing on a forces fasces between two groups of stars the reverse bears the shield between two sprays of leaves with the inscription soldiers medal for valor I 1 the medal Is worn suspended from a ribbon of blue with thirteen alternate red and white stripes the following classes of persons according to the war department are eligible for the medal if performing in an act of heroism subsequent to zuly july 2 1020 1926 all members of the united states army all members of the national guard not la in federal service and of the organized reserves including the off officers leers reserve corps and the enlisted reserve corps not in active duty under circumstances directly related to their attendance on occasions of military duty members of the united states navy and marine corps while serving with the army of the united states members of the military navy and air forces of foreign governments while serving with the army of the united states civilians are not eligible for the award of the soldiers medal distribution of the soldiers medal was begun in april of this year shortly after the design of it was approved by the army authorities forty of these medals had been awarded up to that date 37 of which had been received by the adjutant general of the army from the ter general for forwarding to their winners until the design had been approved and manufacture of the medal begun by the quartermaster corps certificates incorporating the citation for the deed had been presented to tile the winners the 37 medals were sent to the corps area commander of the officer or soldier for formal presentation with suitable ceremonies typical citations describing feats for which soldiers medals have been awarded are joel 0 holmes captain ordnance department united states army for heroism on july 11 1020 1920 during the explosions at the lake denmark naval ammunition depot near dover N J captain holmes olmes II one of a party of eight men entered the burning aret area at a m to search for first george W kott bott jr united states array army who was vaa known to have been in the tha powder factory nt at the time of the first explosions late the preceding afternoon throughout the search they were in close proximity to burning magazines and exposed to frequent explosions of large caliber shells and small email arms ammunition while there was still possibility of more serious detonations deto nations and at the risk of their lives they located the body of lieutenant ilott bott and with great difficulty succeeded in removing it from the wreckage to a point outside the danger zone capt john P harris ordnance department and master sergt christian J I 1 vogt of unity als stationed at PIca tInny arsenal new jersey both received citations sl similar Eallar to that of captain holmes augu augustus L L baker contract surgeon argeon ma W X V N V nl 1 I x 51 A Z m lp I 1 the eight men who received the soldiers medal at governors island N Y on april 21 1931 the medals awarded for various acts of heroism were pinned on the men by maj gen hanson E ely commanding the second corps area left to right maj augustus L L baker res capt joel G holmes capt john P harris master sergt christian J vogt technical sergt arlie L downey sergt clayton H fox corp maxw maxwell ell weinstein and master sergt benjamin roth general ely Is shown pinning medal to coat of sergeant roth after these men had received the medals the sixteenth infantry passed in review before them 2 the soldiers medal ob obverse arse on the left art and d reverse on the right jor medical corps reserve united states army for heroism on july 10 1920 during the explosions at the lake denmark naval ammunition depot near dover N J doctor baker the contract surgeon for rica tinny arsenal was in his office in dover N J when ho he felt tile concussion sion of the first explosion and immediately left for the arsenal upon learning that an injured woman was lying in the road near the point where the two heaviest explosions had occurred doctor baker accompanied by two other men proceeded toward that point while there was probability ot of other serious detonations deto nations they reached the injured woman r rendered first aid and dispatched the patient to the hospi hospital t al the rescue was made at a time when there was a continuous roar of exploding magazines and when the air was filled with living flying shells stones and fragments of buildings and was effected shortly before the third heavy explosion occurred A similar citation was issued to technical sergt arlle arlie L downey finance department of kokomos kokomo ind now on duty at governors island new york tork benjamin roth iloth army serial no R 1 master sergeant air corps united states army for heroism while serving as airplane mechanic with the 1928 30 20 byrd antarctic expedition just jus t prior to tile the collapse of the barrier cliff sergeant roth with exceptional bravery and devotion to duty continued his work as mechanic upon the material which was stored upon that portion of the cliff which was in constant danger of giving way by his display of fearlessness and his devotion to duty sergeant roth brought great credit to himself the expedition and the united states array army clayton II 11 F fox ox army serial no R dien corporal detached enlisted mens list RS united states army for heroism while on recruiting duty in newark N J on october 12 1028 corporal fox at a great personal risk grappled with and subdued a notorious gunman and escaped convict who was endeavoring to make its his escape aft a dalli daylight glit holdup on market street in which the proprietor had bad been shot by the bandit corporal fox who was stationed in front of the recruiting bince on market street was attracted by the report of gun shots in a shop close by and immediately ran to the scene with the of a passerby passer by corporal fox intercepted the bandit still in possession of his gun subduing him only after a severe struggle and then held him captive until the arrival of the police the prompt and fearless action on the part of corporal fox reflects great credit upon himself and the military iceLl maxwell Max viell weinstein army serial no 11 15 sergeant regimental band fifteenth infantry united states army for heroism in entering a burning building at the risk of his life during the evening of february 1 1028 at china and rescuing a woman who was in an unconscious condition on the second floor of her home carrying her down a burning stairway to safety all of the above officers and enlisted men were lio honored nored at a ceremony on governors island new york harbor april 21 1031 1931 during which maj gen hanson E uly ely commanding the second corps area pinned tile the soldiers medal on the uniform of each I 1 another soldiers medal was presented at governors island to private denry G keefer of the guard company keefers Kee fers feat was performed pei formed when off duty he saw a prisoner snatch a sen arys shotgun scurry onto a barge tied up at the dock and barricade himself in the deck house bouse keefer seizing a gun from the hands bands of a hesitant guard dashed forward fora ard shouting to the fugitive to surrender then finding tile the gun gua in hla his hands jammed and useless he nevertheless continued to advance ills bluff worked out came the prisoners weapon falling with a clatter to the deck kafer jerked the man from his bis hiding place and marched him back to the guard house other citations are herbert R H thompson army serial no private ninetieth attack squadron air corps united states army for heroism displayed displaced at the airdrome fort crockett galveston calveston texas january 27 1031 1931 while stacking slacking ammunition boxes in the target building private thompson was warned by a fellow soldier of the approach of a low hying flying airplane As lie he reached the doorway of the building the airplane struck the roof crashed to the ground and burst into flames although dazed by being struck by flying debris private thompson succeeded in reaching the crashed airplane seeing the pilot in the cockpit in an unconscious condition and the passenger lying prostrate on the ground some distance away and realizing that there was immediate danger of the gasoline tank eipl exploding ling he rendered most valuable assist assistance anoe in ho helping to extricate the pilot and removing him from the danger zona william A matheny atheny ll second lieutenant air corps united states army for heroism when an LB 0 airplane craR crashed lied and burned near managua nicaragua august 30 1021 the airplane piloted by canfield and matheny one of four being ferried to the canal zone crashed due to leaking gasoline and ore in one of the motors both officers were thrown free of the airplane hir plaue at the time of the crash and matheny Mi theny after running a few steps looked back and saw lieutenant caufield canfield on tho ground near the burning plane and unable to move at great personal risk knowing that both of them were drenched with gasoline lie he ran back and assisted lieutenant canfield to his feet the tha clothing of both catching are lie ile then attempted to extinguish the flames from the of lieutenant canfield in the wet grass after which laa he extinguished the flames from his own clothing lieutenant braheny BIa heny received painful and severe burns and lieutenant canfield died later from the burns received the heroism displayed by lieutenant matheny reflects great credit ati himself and the military service CC 0 by br attra nowa |