The sun., 1919-05-11
"A MORE OF 77TH
CITED FOR YALOR
Gallant Deeds Of Two Officers
and Twelve Men Landed
by Alexander.
BRAVERY RESCUED MANY
Manhattan and Brooklyn
Heroes Share in Glory
Won on Field.

Two officers and twelve men Of the
Seventy-seventh Division are mentioned
the last citation order issued by Major
Gen. Alexander for extraordinary hero
ism In battle or courage and devotion
to duty.
Capt, Robert c. o'Donnell, 302d En-
gineers, was one Of those imprisoned in
an abandoned German trench between
the lines In the Argonne Forest. On the
night OF September 26, 1918. he volun-
teered and with Corporal Bartholomew
heavy artillery and machine gun FIRE
through dense barbwire entangiements to
get relief party with wire cutters to
cut way out for Capt O'Donnells
platoon, several wounded men and three
German prisoners.
First Lieut.. Joseph A. Mendelson,
Medical Corps, sanitary detachment,
so5th Infantry. and three enlisted men
were the last to leave a gassed and
bombarded town in the relief Of the
Second Battalion, 305th Infantry, on the
night OF August 15 and ls. AS they
vent along they, picked wounded and
gassed men out of the dugouts and holes.
able to see with gas masks on they
TOOK them of and continued their work
with only mouth pieces and nose clips
adjusted. They rescued twelve men.
Then, although exhausted. Lieut.. Men
delson assisted in evacuating and treat
ing many men who had been gassed in
Vile Savoye the night before. When
this work was over he was affected by
gas but refused to go to a hospital, as
he was temporarily the only medical
officer with the Third Battalion. Gen
Alexander says: His calFnness and
heroism were a source OF inspiration to
his men and to the troops with whom
he came In contact" Lieut.. Mendel-
sons next Of kin is Mrs. Joseph A. Men,
delson. 4012 Georgia avenue, N. W..
Washington, D. C..
The other citations are:
First Sergeant JOHN JOSEPH SMITH,
Company A. 3O5th Infnntry-For coura re
and devotion to duty under the most try
ing circumstances. At Villers-devt-Mou-
furnished a covering detachment for the
construction OF q foot bridge across the
Meuse. being subjected to the most vio-
lent shell nre and machine gun IRE
when the only oficer who remained
with the company was rendered unnt for
duty this on-commissioned oficer by his
qualities OF leadership inspired his men
with new confidence reorganized the
company under fire and placed two pia-
toons in position on the east bank of the
Meuse-the only orkanized units of the
Seventy -seventh Division to obtain q
foothold on the further bank. Next Of
kin, Mrs. Ellen Smith, mother. 2s1 Flat
bush avenue, Brooklyn.
First Sergeant CHARLES ID. BAMBIE,
Company A. SOeth Machine Gun Bat
talion-During the operations on tho
vesle River. near Merval. France on
September IL. 1913. about noon. ad-
vanced beyond the machine gun posi-
lions on his own initiative and with en-
tire disregard for his personal safety
and rendered hrst aid to men of the
s07th Infantry wounded during the at
tack The wounded were lying on n for
Ea In frR(
chine gun fre and were under a heavy
hostile barrage which rendered the act
of aiding them very hazardous. Next of
kin, Mrs. F. L. Haggarity. Spring neld.
Mass
Sergeant MICHAEL KELLEHEH, Com
pany X 30eth Infantry-On September