Jewish WWI Soldier’s Honor May Receive Upgrade

Three times Sgt. William Shemin dashed into the no-man’s land between the trenches. Each time, with rifle and machine gun bullets flying around him, he dragged a wounded comrade to safety.

Then, when several leaders of his platoon were killed or injured, he took command and “showed great initiative under fire” until he, too, was wounded, felled by a machine gun bullet that pierced his steel helmet and gashed his head.

For his extraordinary heroism during those three days in France in August 1918, Shemin was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the second-highest military decoration that can be given to a U.S. soldier.

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