William Shemin

Sergeant William Shemin was a United States Army soldier who served during World War I. He was assigned to Company G, 47th Infantry Regiment, 4th Division, of the American Expeditionary Forces, and distinguished himself during combat operations in France.

On the battlefield near the Vesle River, close to Bazoches, France, Shemin demonstrated extraordinary bravery under fire. Decades after his service, his actions were formally recognized when his previously awarded Distinguished Service Cross was upgraded to the Medal of Honor, following a systematic review of World War I awards to Jewish soldiers.

On June 2, 2015, President Barack Obama presented the posthumous Medal of Honor to Shemin's daughters, Elsie Shemin-Roth and Ina Bass, during a ceremony at the White House, securing his legacy as one of the nation's highly decorated combat veterans of the Great War.