The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1917-07-07

and the killing heat, Penn dashed into the room
and, lifting the coal passer. staggered to safety
with him, the s%calding 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
a terrific explosion, for the water escaping from
the boiler would soon leave so little there that 1t
would be entirely converted into steam and the
pressure would wreck 1t.
Dashing through the binding, torturing steam,
Keefer, the coppersmith, hauled the fires from
under the two inboard furnaces. Meanwhile,
Penn, 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 it is only extraor-
binary bravery which merits the medal accounts
for the fact that Fireman Smith did not win the
bronze for 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-
hibited.
Some of the most stirring medal stories are
those of the Indian campaigns. For instance,
there was Corporal Paul II. Weinert, 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-
IONA 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 r. Shafter was
wounded, but when a surgeon was seen approach
ing he climbed a 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 emember General Shafter only as
he was in the Cuban campaign will wonder how
he got into the tree, but a man can put on a lot
of weight in thirty-odd years.
Gen. Francis d. Baldwin won the medal while
a 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 MS the Victoria
Cross, the Iron Cross or the MedaiIle Militalre,
NS SOhSlCSSlOlul Altudl VI IlouOI IL muCl more
difficult to attain. 1t is distributed to very few
persons and then only after a sweeping investiga.
ton Of the circumstances surrounding the act for
which II is recommended.
The Medal of Honor was authorized by con-
gress by an act of July u, 1862. The striking of
1000 medals was ordered, to he conferred upon
privates and on-commlssioned officers for acts of
bravery surprising those usually demanded of
soldiers. One thousand Of these medals were
voted TO a single organization, the survivors Of a
Maine regiment which volunteered to remain in
service on the eve of the Battle of Gettysburg
although their terms had expired. This is the
only case of a wholesale distribution of the
medal and has been severely criticized.
There are slight variations in the medals as
designed for the army, the navy and the marines.
The army's medal, as modified in 1905, is a FIVE
pointed star with the ~trefOils on the tips. The
star is -superimposed on a wreath. In the center
of the star is the head Of Minerva, surrounded by
the words UNITED States of America" The
medal is suspended from a trophy representing
an eagle on a bar with the word "Valor." The
whole is suspended from a ribbon.
The original medal bore in the center of the
star a figure of America clad as Minerva. Her
left hand rested upon the fasces and with a shield
In her right she repealed Dlscord. A band of stars
circled the figures. The trophy was an eagle
perched on two crossed cannons and a number of
cannon balls suspended from a red, white and
blue ribbon.
The medal as presented to the marines today is
practically like the original medal, except that It
Is Joined to the ribbon by an anchor and the rib
bon is worn around the neck.
The navy receives a medal similar to that
awarded to marines but worn pinned to the breast
suspended from a metal bar by a short ribbon.
The medal Is worn only on special parade or
at ceremonies with the dress uniform.-New York
Herald.