The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1917-07-20

and the killing heat Penn dashed into the room
and lifting the coal passer staggered to safety
with him, the scading water above his ankles.
Ignoring the frightful pain of his scalded, swol-
len feet this second-class fireman dashed back
into the hell from which he had just dragged one
victim and saved another life.
Keefer meanwhile was busy saving the ship
from destruction. or at least from the effects OF
terrific explosion, for the water escaping from
the boiler would leave so little there that 1t
would be entirely converted into steam and the
pressure would wreck 1t.
Dashlng through the binding, torturing steam,
Keefer the coppersmith, hauled the fires from
under the two fnbOard furnaces. Meanwhile,
penn,s having gotten every one out of the fire
room, had turned on the extra feed pump In the
after fire hold to keep water in the boilers and
built a bridge TO the furnaces out Of planks laid
on top of ash buckets. While Passed Assistant
Engineer StOckney held the plank In place Penn
hauled the two remaining fires before he was car
ried, to the sick bay where his terribly scalded
feet were treated.
Both Penn and Keefer received the Medal Of
Honor for their acts. That 1t Is only extraor-
binary bravery which merits the medal accounts
for the fact that Fireman Smith did not win the
bronze for 1.-THE same days work In helping
Keefer he had both legs badly burned. but the
opportunity did not offer itself to display the
same supercOurage which Keefer and Penn ex-
hlbited.
Some OF the most stirring medal stories are
those Of the Indian campaigns. For instance.
there was Corporal Paul II. Welnert who expect
ed to be court-martialed for what he did at the
battle Of Wounded Knee. but instead had the
Medal of Honor pinned to his breast
Another Indian fighter to win the coveted
bronze was Sergt. Bernard Taylor of the Fifth
cavalry. engaged In fighting the Apaches In Ari-
zona In 1874
Some of the most distinguished men in the
army have worn the medal. Lieut.. Gen. Nelson
A. Miles won 1t for continually exposing himself
to the fire Of the enemy as colonel of the Sixty
first New York volunteers in the Civil war, for
no other purpose than to encourage his men by
the example.
At Fair Oaks Gen. William n. Shafter was
wounded, but when surgeon was seen approach
Ing he climbed tree In order not to be sent TO
the rear. After the surgeon passed Shafter came
down and continued TO fight until he fell uncon-
scious from loss OF blood.
Those who remember General Shafter only as
he was In the Cuban campaign will wonder how
he got into the tree, but n man can put on a lot
OF weight In thlrty-odd years
Gen Francis u. Baldwin won the medal vbiIe
first lieutenant in the Fifth infantry With two
companies under him he rescued two white Girls
from Indians at McClennan's Creek Tex. in No
vember, 1874
Although not so well-known as the Victoria
Cross. the Iron Cross or the Medane NIIlitaIre
.ne congressional Medal OF Honor Is much more
difficult to attain. Ii is distributed To very fevy
persons and then only after a sweeping Investlgo.
ton OF the circumstances surrounding the act for
which II Is recommended
The Medal Of Honor was authorized nv 70,
gress by an act OF July Il. 1862 The striking ~
&Ooo medals was ordered To be conferred mo,
priNates and noncommlSsioned officers for acts or
bravery surprising those usually demanded Of
soldiers. one thousand Of these medals wore
voted TO single organization, the survivors Of a
Maine regiment which volunteered to rsr,si,, n,
service the eve of the Rattle ~ csat+,.-r, :"
although their terms had expired This - 49,,
"niy case or a wholesale distribution az IN.
medal and has been severely criticized
Ihere are slight variations In the medals a,
usS'kn'o Tor me army, the navy and the marines
The armys medal. as modified In roO5 - +. g.
l.'"'e" SURF WIN The tretojlS on the tins The
star i Super'nPoSed on q wreath. IN the center
~, '"r S'S' : the Mead "f Minerva, surrounded nv
Uhe W'ruS United States 81 America Tn,
medal IS suspended from tropbv rs,,r,,s,,,.,
an eagle on bar with the word ~vpIor" 7r,,
whole Is suspended from y ribbon
me original medal hore IN the center -. -,
s'a' hgure 81 America elad as Npcrv, n
lett hand rested up.sn the rascrs and ,,-g,h -, -
~ heT right she repellci Discard A h,na :, -.
e'Nr' '"c hs"reS The trophy was an ...l.
. .,.I ~ "" e''sSSHn eannons and a number OF
blue ribbon w. "ulte aud
The medal as presented - the r,.-s,.-
practically like the original medal sxcsr. .,,a.
= Joleed 10 the ribbon by an anchor GA ~
bon Il worn around the neck "'" me I'D
me navy receives medal similar ..
s.s-, ' ~ marines out worn pinned to the hrsaS,
uSl'''u'a tr"m metal bar by short -,t,,..
-, -, L y worn only on s0eriaI narssa -
Herald. '''h-Nev York