Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1916-08-19
HOW AMERICAN
YOUTH GOT The
FRENCH MEDAL
Wounded Driving Ambulance He
Is Given Highest Military
Honor.
ARE DOING A GREAT WORK
American Ambulance Drivers Remark.
able Experiences Shown in Extracts
From Letters to Friends and
Relatives in This Country.

New York.--About $50 young Amer
leans are engaged in driving in the
different services of the American Am
bulnncc hospital in Paris Some idea
Of The great work they are performing
is contained la extracts from letters
sent to relatives and friends ia this
country. The latest Of these commu-
nications is from William NJ. Barber,
twenty son OF j. A. Bar
her, lawyer of Toledo and one-time
Judge In the Ohio courts.
Young Barber is now recovering
from serious wound received In the
performance of his duty at Verdun,
where he displayed such exceptional
bravery that he was decorated by the
French authorities with the Medaille
Mllitalre. the highest medal for mill
tary yalor In France.
Young Barber started from this port
on May q and was wounded on June
20 His captain. Lowering Nm. in re-
porting his case 10 the Ambulance hos
pItol. said the boy was driving his am
bulancc with three wounded soldiers
ut midnight nloug one of the most
dangerous roads ut Nerdun He was
forced to stop by shells bursting
ahead of him. During lul in the
firing he started again. when a shell
bnrst few yards away Many small
fragments struck him, one penetrating
lung and another his side. Not
outstanding his wounds he went on
until he fell showing. as his captain
said, the most splendid pluck. doing
dangerous work with enthusiasm and
GOODNESS. Recovering from the eff
fects Of his wounds. Mr. Barber wrote
from his cot in the American Ambu-
lance hospital the following letter on
June 30 10 his parents:
Tore Side and Legs
Dear Folks at Home, Abroad and
Grandma
-Four nights Eo had pretty mar
row escape. | can mention no names
here, but this is the gst of the story
Il was driving my car, with three
wounded soldiers In It, along roud
that was being Shelled. Well. | got in
the midst of pretty hot shower, SO
stopped my car and got under it, A
few minutes later / supposed il was
blowing over so | got out. had no
sooner got out when heard one Of
those big obuses coming, the ioudeSt |
had ever heard, | ran to the front of
my cur, crouching down in front OF
the radiator. When it burst il struck
my car
Il was only hurt little was nor
diShgurcd ia any way. Ii tore my side
and legs a little
The French treated me wonder
fully l succeeded in getting the next
American ambulance driven by Wheel
er "a great boA), who took ME to the
city Of --, where our post Is. Here
l WAS given first aid, and the medical
chief personally conducted me in uu
American ambulance. In the middle of
the hight, TO a very good hospttuL They
say | have the best doctor in France
In Paris.
Veil 1 woke up the next day In Il
bed, and have been recuperating ever
since, Everyone is wouderfnl to me.
General Petaiu, second to Jofrre.
has stopped in To shake hands
with me and many are my con
gratulationS, too, for. above my
bed hangs the Medaille Militaire, the
greatest honor the French can give
anyone. Really, am proud. althoucs
] don't deserve il any more than the
rest Please excuse my egotism
Just as Good as New.
IN three or f0m days / 40 10 The