Norwich bulletin., 1919-03-27
TRIBUTE TO NORWICH SOLDIER HERO


 tion that tha- TOT which he had fought and suffered was now cocut to be achieved, died Israel Aaron Cohen, rife ill hand. facing the enemy.
 Israel Aaron Cohen was born in Norwich in 1897. the youngest son of Herman and Dora Gordon Cohen. He 1 received his grammar school education l in the West Chelsea District and at | tended at the same tine the Hebrew Free school. where he obtlifed a good | knowledge of Hebrew and the Bible. He graduated from the Nit. Pleasant Street school in 1912. and was very popular in his class. How great an impression his cheerful, noble per- | sInality made on those who knew him, can be seen from the fact that the pupils of this years graduating cla.ss | of the Mt. Pleasant Street school have | Tanned their rettntly formed club the Israel Aaron Cohen club, ir his mem ory.
 He then entered ths Norwich Free ] Academy, pursuing the Academic course, and distinguished himself in rublic speaking. Here, toS he took an active part In athletics as he was 1 ski!fful in all sports. Upon his grad ,iation III 1916, he entered the Law l School of New York University. He waE general favorite with all who knew him. his genial frank nature endearing him to both professors and fellow students. A long bright career lay before him, for he liked the work and threw himself whole heart e0ly into the tasks before him. It was while just about to complete the first year of his law t-ourse. that he volunteered and joined the Marine Carps. He received his first training at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, but was soon transferred to the naval station t Iona Island. Here in this naval l arsenal on the Hudson. he soon be- came an adept in all those branches Of the military and naval sciences for which the Marine Corps Is famous. Thus he spent the summer and win ter of 1917. both day and night guard ing the big ammunition depot on the l Hudson, against enemy spies and plots.
 The severe winter of 1917 dragged on into sumrncr, and 1t was approach l ing year since his enlistment. Mean while a change had taker place in the American participation ir the great war. The president had decided to send g large forre--as large as possi- lb'e--instead ot the small. fierce origin ally intended. Two regiments of ma rines, true to their motto First to | isht" had now been for several months in France and were training for their grea. task by the side of the French in the Verdun trenches.
 During that long summer and win ter. Israel Cohen had but one regret that he could not be at the front at the side of his fellow marines. The ed finally came. From he com rIander in France came f call for re- lrlacements. for men to take the place of the marines who had fallen in the attacks in tho trenches
 To that small station in the Hud son. there came the call for volunteers for immediate service in Trance. There were, all told, about I20 marines on the Island. and as the cail for several volunteers was read to them, Israel Cohen was 2Inong the first to step for ward. About ninety men volunteered but only a few could De taken. The names were Ipf into 8 hat. and in the drawing that followed Israel Cohen's name was the second chosen.
 I remember the eagernes5 and hap pi'less with which he reformed rela- tives and friends that lie was f>ine to leave for France. Now. he, too e uld do his share amongst the shot and shell to defend his coit'ltry's hon. or and life. You cannot realize" he wrote his brother at this time / " sad I am that I an going over. Nov ] have my chance"
 From Iona Island, he was sent i'm -nediareiy to Quartico. Virginia tns assembling station for the 'neri a. about to leave for Tra7cr H-Y=. n was given ap intensive 1'~'-.''7>. f modern trench and gas v..'4 ..a-a Thi. ! -e,1 r.@~ 4.-- the men were i-" - that they E.fre 10 depa'' = v-"e't. He har iusr time 10 New York to bi5 uS q final = -rr'i. re,uarnher hin veil the' ,...-7av afternoon in April as >" ,.. 7gaiti7@ for the train il : 'ho ti~ar.ia sta tior .n leave. t"7 ~ee him now betor" ruc that stal
 -a"' handsome lad ith the smil,
 laving ar;ont his oDeo. 'rar..- face ''oyisll. verr AoJish io0l,;ne.--yet na- ,~>ath that l,ov+zl smile, risible tn pan, tl,e trained soldier
 r.!yao days later. on April 21 1913 =, sailed from Ee:nptoN Reads fo Trance. &G a rra-0'2e- Af @:le f4Atl 0'o=7nany of iae 3rd perlanerde1t Eat ''aIiop. "DcT-'+ ---0-1'~" urrn the clos '-r words. 7r fl:a ia-A at+nr fiat h vrr~te on Aa,egicasl scit T will sooi +. hack"
 Two wca'c 1~ter i,e :--ivatl i France. o7t: n,o1 eant to z trainin c"1np rear N"-r'ri3. v was +he nc '~inut'7~ oH N7". arjt Trace, stil 'a~''tif;-' w'' rn tl,- n:a,! of the in '''7~ ',"r' -'ct 'l4-- Eai' ma1 him re
 -'' ii'e ~'a" of T.s s"l',a7 da-S
 --, ,-Ie --~r h'o-.- i3 .--,'5- can7
 rn5c~ ron '7is- % -f,' .,7.- fA
 .7= ''}-r,, '37..~t haze 1:o1rt- }--i1nt tl7
 -t~r.. -'1 o+ C'.a ,e>,. 7~l...~,--" Cll -! raol 'rr 1ri,'- fiiat h@ hs7 a@ h
 f.~'o c., -''nqn 3~-a af CEatea
 -',tfo-~,; 3a.l is-ti-.,.3 ,-;--a- 4'-n nrtir
 -',,-iI caJ:,so @-.- -,ri9A '-@ -i,r America
 E;a-i1a A1i he hetauGn7 t0 them. h
 -.as 2 Da-t = trera. Tl,r 7assn
 t?ay,-a--2~. Ioa1 Haar a-io~Mo"=. .a01 h
 -a= I,9veG ,-, ]" sls= s' T'-cr'::~ior1f
 TAar- ce1oer- l'attalicH of th" TNS-
 t,ry Corls
 r"4 ;-o isa r1' re~'af7 Ic7. ,n tt
 r"-.- IT. hs:T bs- f;-i* t,:r 1r0c0~~
 yr~-- -- uC 'ic-tt' - thn r-s- ne T'~nrc'
 a~5 7~a7 Vlaccd on l7ctnc!,r1ent dut
 acting l'26o" 'l,s7 direction Of the Et rlarc'r art TIpa'arartara. ITc was :;tf tr"l at jtnoe cities He is cor
 s:Gutit trav"ti'2, i,e ";itrs. and se' iN, z great deal Of lT-,,,cc.
 Meanwhile tn the .atter part July had taken place he thrust t.
 ward Soissons. where again the n; riae3 played q prominent mart. The .f T. sses were aoay5- and *hey were witt e lawn to 6 rest area tr th2 nnrthe' II sri of the Tcui sector to e1able the depleted ranks to be reo,N N.nizea. ed Ard ,ere. IaIae1 Cohen reioined | al ~orlradee being placed n the 75 ea Company of he Sixth Regiment r nTena-ctio1s were nov heinz made I