Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-10-28
TWO FROM HERE
CITED AS HEROES
Philadelphians in Iron
Division Win Com.
mandant's Praise
BRAVE AGAINST ODDS

once again the Twenty-eight Division,
which won the right to be called Iron
Division in the fighting on the Vesle,
has been honored for. bravery, and two
Philadelphians and four from the State
have won special mention for gallantry.
Major General Charles II. Muir. COM
mander Of the division. has Just issued
an order of praise. lauding the Penn
sylvanians for their valor.
The order is contained in Raymond G..
CarroHs war dispatch in the Public
Ledger today. h'ch also tells six stories,
each concerning the bravery of Penn
sylvanian.
Lieutenant John " Merrick. of Rox-
borough. and Sergeant Andrew b. Lynch.
2646 Franklin street, arc the Philadel-
phians mentioned by Mr. Carroll. The
Pennsylvanians are Sergeant Ralph w.
Summerton, Warren; Corporal Robert
s. \. Jeffery. Sagamore: Captain
Charles l.. McI.an, of Indiana, and a
lieutenan from Altoona are the others.
Sergeant Lynch and Corporal Jeffrey.
organizing a rescue party of five. at
tackled and defeated a German patrol of
thirty-six men rescuing their command
ing officer. First Lieutenant Meyer S.
Jacobs, who had been taken prisoner.
Sergeant Lynch's party killed fifteen
of the German patrol. and Lynch cap
tured three prisoners.
Then Lynch took command of sew
enty-five Americans held in reserve.
and in a fresh attack drove the enemy
back two-thirds of a mile, organizing
a new line in a ravine.
Wounded, Leads Men On
Lieutenant Merrick was wounded by
machine-gun bullets in the hand and
elbow, but bravely refused to be eyac-
uated, and for two hours directed what
was left Of his men, getting them back
to safety. together with other units
that had attached himself to his COM
mand.
Lieutenant Merrick was holding the
western edge Of a ravine near Apre-
mont, but found that his men were be-
ing subjected to fire without shelter.
He was withdrawing them when wound
ed, He is now back at rest with the
10th. Infantry. completely recovered
from his wounds.
Lieutenant Merrick Is the son of j.
Vaughn Merrick and grandson Of a for
bear of the same name who was one
OF the greatest civil engineers Of the
country in his time.
Sergeant Summerton was i'll with in
f1uenza the night Of the attack upon
Chatel Chehery, but when he heard that
Company I was without officers he went
forward, ignoring the advice of the sur
geon, and took command. He was the
first man to mounts Hill 244. From
there he led his force on again. getting
rife bullet in the shoulder. He has
since recovered. He was wounded by
shrapnel on the Vese River.
Captain McLain's Heroism
Captain McLain distinguished himself
again at Apremont. On the Marne River
he was twice surrounded. but led his
company to victory, although he was
wounded and gassed. At Apremont.
hearing that Company c was without
officers. he took command and led the
first wave Of the attack. He was
wounded in the leg at s 80 o'clock in
the morning. but kept hobbling along
until his objective was reached at 4:3O
in the afternoon. Then he consented
to go to hospital.
A lieutenant from Altoona, whose
name the censorship forbid mentioning,
was wounded in the abdomen. but con-
tnued to lead the company until the
attack had been repulsed. Then he went
to hospital, where he died. He went
into action as volunteer leader of
Company ], which was without officers.