Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-02-21
HEART FAILURE?
NOT MUCH; LOOK
WHAT GWIN DID
Albanian, Turned Down by
Training Camp Surgeons,
Gets to France Anyway
and Wins War Cross

1t was a weak heart, they told
Bill GWin, that would prove his I'M
doing if he got into battle. They
gravely considered his case and de-
cided that he couldn't stand the
grind. He was all right, they agreed,
but his heart was all wrong. So, aft
err one months drilling and sweating
and toiling at the Fort Mcpherson
school for officers Bill Gwin was
discharged. If it hadn't been fer
that heart
But Bill Gwin had the grit. He
walked out of the big front gate
that he had entered just one month
before with determination in his
soul He was a man of Gorty-three
who had given up his business to
serve his country; he had been an
officer in the national guard of Ala
bama for ten years; he was a veter-
an of the Spanish-American war and
now he, Bill Gwin, was turned down.
1t was a tough blowout wait!
Today we find Bill Gwin again in
Atlanta. What has happened to him
since the day he was turned down
by the medical officers at the Fort
cal untitness? Nothing has happen
ed to him, nothing at all except that
he went to France, went into battle
went into the trenches, stayed at
the front from May through october,
was at the front in every oIs engage
ment during this period, came near
being killed dozens of times and per-
formed his work in such d manner
that he has been recommended for
the CroiX de Guerre. Pretty good
Bill GWin was in the war. He tried
to go as a soldier, but they wouldn't
take him. He did go as a i. M. c.
A. man. And the record that he
made is one in which both he and
the Y. M. c. A. can take particular
pride" He continually bobbed up
where something was going on and
got his share of the shell fire, gas
bombs, mud, filth, coolies, rain and
snow.
Off to Franc.
Bill Gwin took a short cut to the
the trenches. After entering the Y.
NJ. c. a. service he was sent to Camp
Greene, North Carolina, stayed there
for spell and asked for something
bigger The something bigger" was
France. Mr.. GWinn, cheating the
medical officers, sailed for Europe
almost Immediately and ne and his
weak heart went into battle
The most narrowing experience
that this 'Y' man had during his
time in France was on a night in
battle Of the Marine. the Germans
were putting over what Mr.. Gw1n
describes as their heaviest barrage
of the war" Shells were thicker than
black faces in 4 minstrel. Bill Gwin
was what the "Y" calls a front line
man and be was where he should
beat the front line. AS usual he
was dispensing sweet chocolate to
be munched by doughboys when they
weren't hurting hand grenades
When the daddy of all the German
barraSes started coming over, Gwin,
rain of shells and found his way
to a brick house filled with wounded
men, all moaning and grooming. This
was the place for a man who knew
first aid. Gwin knew it,
And then. from midnight until 5
hearted" Albanian gave assistance
to the wounded. They covered the
floor. The brick house which shell
tered them was on the main street"
Of the line of fire. The bombardment
continued without a let-up and shell
after shell broke against the struc-
ture Once the entire roof caved in.
Bill Gwin and the wounded men be-
low waited for the whole shack to
collapse.
Dodges Shell
But this didn't happen. At 5
mans still pelting the allied lines.
Bill GWin started out of the house
on the run. He ducked and danced
and lodged through the hail of
shrapnel until he reached an automo-
bile. In that car he rode to the cap
tot Ncn InJ11o Hn1
him of the condition of the wounded
men in the shack that was exposed
to German fire, and then made the
trip back to the shell-battered struc-
ture and aided in bringing the wound
ed men to safety. For that achieve
was recommended for the Troix de
Guerre
Mr.. Gwin later saw service at St
Nihiel and in tire Argonne forest and
2?ways was loaded with all the sweet
chocolate he could carry.
Tuesday Mr.. Gwin said that the
Young Mems Christian association
has been uniustly criticised
"I got into the ~ work because 7
wanted to get to France" he SAID.
''but when I got to Franc made
i was the " IF the Young Mems
Christi9n association has made mis-
takes these mistakes have been those
that would have been made hv any
o"ganiZatioN performing so hi" and
60 wo'Tdo"ful n work. 7 am now out
Homo. But I can say nothing but
oomn1imentar~ thin~s in REGARD to
tho Youn~ Nnn'e Christior assoeia-
ito" ara IFS work overseas"
Mr. Gwin is going back to Gads-
vy-11 c1o hn II 90 70