New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-09
In The Ambulance Service
How an American WON His Crox de Guere While Helping
the Wounded

GLOW we could see the bodies lying AROUND,
ths noor swimming in blood and brains, ana
here and there an arm or leg or mead
sticking out of the debris. Those VINO
weren't killed by the she'll were sunoeateu
nv being buried in the ruins. wen, we aug
them ont as best we could. Two were con-
sc;ors and as we entered the door they
were screaming and imploring US 10 se'
them ont. God! IL was awful. Two hVea'
and seven others we laid alongside the roao'
cornses. and mangled beyond all recognition
Three caught fire in there, and we got them
ont leg by leg and arm by arm. When i.
WAS over and some others came up wen.
over 70 the other side Of the road ana sat
down. and didn't care what dropped tnefe
Tho other chap who was working with me
came up and we finished up the dirty WORK
took down to the hospital the two living
ona, and finished the day with new poste
beside the other and a new bunch OF DOCTORS
and brancardiers.
The Gold-Starred Cross
Well. the priest, who was pretty high up
in IN. army corps circles, sent in q citation,
and there il comes) received to-day offciai
notification that | was decorated with the
Croix de Guerre. We both were, and I've
little gold star on mine, too, which shows
that it's Corps d'Armee" citation-as
being a little better than regimental or divi-
sional. Then there are three other Croix DE
Guerre coming for men wounded, and one
for the chief of section, for the way he man
aged our work during the attack. And our
French lieutenant was also wounded IN ootn
Ieps-had TO have one leg amputated below
the hin and the other below the knee. he
GOT the Legion of Honor and the Crolx DE
Guerre. One Of our men, who was twice
wounded. got the Croix de Guerre with
palm leaf on it,
Il was very good luck to have been there
for any one would have done the same. HOW
ever, the priest thought it pretty good ana
had us presented with the medal. Know you
all will be glad to know.
Following is a copy Of our citation; Sc
sont Acknowledgement signales le Tngt-cinq
Mai, 1917 lors du bombardment du -
mar leur initiative, leur devouement ct leur
activite courageuse pour pevacuation raplde
des blesses."
On June % last four Of US in the section
were publicly decorated with our "Crolx de
Guerre." 1t was long to be remembered
occasion. The pinning Oil was done by
General Gouraud, the hero Of the Darda-
nelles, The place was a meadow about tnree
miles behind the lines, and we, together with
soma French officers and soldiers to be deco
rated. stood in a hollow square formed py
about 1900 soldiers, and with the frencn
colors behind us. And there were bands
ard financing horses and the flashing swords
Of the officers and the 1900 bayonets would
CLINT and glitter in the sun as they were put
through the manual Of arms before the cere-
mony.
When the "Marseillaise" Sounded
We four stood together in a row, and Cen
eral Gouraud decorated US one after an
other, shaking hands and saying a few words
TO each after he had pinned on the medal
And while ne was pnning it there was abso-
Lutte silence all over, every rife presented
and each officers sword at his chin. When
the general had made his little speech TO
each of us the band would break into bar
of the "Marseillaise"; that was the most I'M
pressive moment of all.
And then the veteran (he had only one
arm and one leg and padded chest, to say
nothing Of three rows Of medals) would pass
on to the chap next to you, leaving you
struggling hard to keep looking straight
ahead and not down to see If it was really
there. And after all that We stood with the
general and his staff as he reviewed the SOL
diers as they passed by.
So there, it's over; and we have little
strip of green and red ribbon on our coats
over the left-hand breast pocket you don't
wear the medal itself at the 'front.', and you
feel very proud indeed OF It.