Fw: CMH Considerations

[Joe Smithhisler]

From: Joe Smithhisler <PaPaJoe007 at juno.com>
To: history at farnsworth.org 
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 10:50:07 -0500
Subject: CMH Considerations


Dear Sir or Madam,

I am Joseph Smithhisler son of WW1 Sgt. Paul Arnold Smithhisler (SN
1538321). General Farnsworth was my Dad's Commanding General of the 37th
Division, and Dad had remembered "the General paying him a visit in the
hospital, and personally thanking him for his actions in getting that
bridge across the river"  Subsequent to that Dad was personally awarded
the DSC by General Pershing during  the presentation on July 25, 1919 at
Alencon France.  This was following Dad's release from the Hospital for
injuries suffered during his heroic activities early in November 1918. 
Dad remembered being told by his Regimental Commander (Colonel Galbreath)
at the time, that he had been recommended for the CMH, but that Pershing
didn't like approving Army non-infantry CMH awards to the War Department.
   See the attached two documents for support of this "Deed which was
considered an act of personal bravery and self sacrifice so conspicuous
as to clearly distinguish Sgt. Smithhisler above his comrades at the risk
of his life".  Also attached is the photo of Dad's receiving the DSC from
General Pershing at that time.

Is there a process for the re-consideration of CMH eligible recipients?

Thank You,    Joe Smithhisler   (PaPaJoe007 at Juno.Com)
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  A BRIDGE TO VICTORY IN THE GREAT WAR (WWI)

Gene Small, a WWI family historian has done considerable 
reading in the past  on the histories of some of the 37th 
Division units involvement in the construction of a critical
Belgium bridge. From the personal diaries of soldiers who 
were there, as well historical documents we learn:
 

"1st Battalion — 148th Infantry Regiment (Mech) "Voodoo" 
(A unit of the Ohio National Guard) It was the Ypres-Lys 
campaign that saw the crowning achievement of the 148th. 
There the Regiment, first of all the allied troops, crossed 
the Escaut (Scheldt) River in Belgium on November 2,1918 
and maintained the crossing in spite of heavy losses from
devastating machine gun and shell fire. It was there, too, 
that the regimental motto, “We'll do it,” was inspired.

"Extracted from histories of the 37th and 91st Divisions. 
The 37th Division forced a crossing of the river southeast 
of Heurne on the night of 2/3 November and another 
farther north at the site of the destroyed Hermelgem-
Syngem bridge on 10 November. The 91st Division failed 
in it's attempt to forge a crossing farther south on the 
night of November 2/3. They moved to begin crossing on 
the night of 3/4 November on the bridges established by 
the 37th,  but unable to complete the crossing before 
sunrise they took shelter and completed crossed the 
following night.  Casualties of the two divisions in the  
operations that began on 30 October and ended on
November 11th, totaled about 2,600. The 800 plus
Americans who died can be visited at Flanders Field, 6 
miles to the northeast.

"From the diary of Pvt. Robert L. Dwight 148th Infantry, 
37th Division"We were sent up and entrenched on the 
west bank of the Escaut River in the vicinity of Syugau 
(Syngem), where it was almost certain death to stick
ones head above the trench."

"Our Government believed this encounter significant 
enough to build and maintain to this day a memorial to 
the 37 and 91st Divisions in Audenarde, where the 91st 
failed to cross and a few miles or so south of where the 
river was first crossed. A bridge, since erected over the
Escaut (Scheldt) in the town of Eine, is named the "37th 
Division Memorial Bridge". You can find a picture of it at 
the Cleveland Public Library.

"As you will read in the related document "Belgium Bridge 
Hero", Pvt. Burke awaited Sgt. Smithhisler's return on 
the west bank. When his Sergeant arrived,  so did the 
mustard gas, Pvt. Burke saw fit to help the most certainly 
exhausted Smithhisler to put on his gas mask, first. That 
act most likely cost Pvt. Burke his life, and it most 
certainly saved Smithhisler's life. As it was, Smithhisler 
spent time in the hospital recovering from seared lungs.

"Without being able to read the actual recommendations, 
it is hard tounderstand exactly what Smithhisler was 
awarded the DSC for. The certificate, as do all, says 
"Extraordinary Heroism". The related document  does 
explain the reason.  Only 25 DSC's were issued to the 
37th and they were in battles whose names are still 
household words to this day. Ypres, Argonne, St. Mihial, 
these were not minor skirmishes. They ended a war in 
two months that had gone on for 4 years prior. 

"Upwards of 100,000 men fought in the 37th in those 
battles, It is quite certain more then 25  showed Extra-
ordinary Heroism. I think we can assume that additional 
criteria was taken into consideration in Smithhisler's case. 
Such as the conditions under which he performed this act, 
and the number of lives his actions saved while spending 
the night alone and half frozen, sneaking around in the 
midst of 100,000 German troops. 

"He did find the locations of their artillery, in this pretty 
severe condition, where any one of them would be willing 
to shoot you if they saw you. If that artillery had not 
been found and significantly taken out with our own 
artillery, that bridge would most certainly not have been
built without a much more significant loss of life. For 
certain, the men of the 91st who survived their failed 
attempt on the night of 2/3 November,were very 
grateful for the 37th bridge the following days and nights."

				3-8-05





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