William Shemin

Three times, he crossed enemy fire to save wounded soldiers.

William Shemin enlisted in the U.S. Army on 2 October 1917. Raised in Bayonne, New Jersey, he served as a rifleman in Company G, 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment, 4th Division, American Expeditionary Forces.

From 7 to 9 August 1918, near Bazoches on the Vesle River in France, Shemin repeatedly crossed 150 yards of exposed ground under German machine-gun and rifle fire to rescue wounded comrades. After officers and senior noncommissioned officers became casualties, he took command of the platoon and continued leading under fire until he was wounded on 9 August. A bullet pierced his helmet and lodged behind his left ear, leaving him partially deaf.

After hospitalization, he served on light duty with the occupation forces in Germany and Belgium. He received the Purple Heart for his wounds and the Distinguished Service Cross for his battlefield courage. His World War I service is associated with the Victory Medal's Aisne-Marne and Defensive Sector clasps and the Army of Occupation of Germany Medal.

His family pursued recognition of his actions for decades. The Distinguished Service Cross for that action was upgraded to the Medal of Honor, presented posthumously to his daughters by President Barack Obama on 2 June 2015. Shemin died on 15 August 1973.

Medal of Honor citation

Sergeant William Shemin distinguished himself by extraordinary acts of heroism at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Rifleman with G Company, 2d Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment, 4th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, in connection with combat operations against an armed enemy on the Vesle River, near Bazoches, France from August 7 to August 9, 1918. Sergeant Shemin, upon three different occasions, left cover and crossed an open space of 150 yards, repeatedly exposing himself to heavy machine-gun and rifle fire, to rescue wounded. After officers and senior noncommissioned officers had become casualties, Sergeant Shemin took command of the platoon and displayed great initiative under fire until wounded on August 9. Sergeant Shemin's extraordinary heroism and selflessness, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, with G Company, 2d Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment, 4th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, and the United States Army.