Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-02-04
Congressional Medals Are
Given to Twenty-One
Soldiers.
AWARDS MADE ON
PERSHING'S ORDER
Only Three Similar Awards Made Dur.
inc Present War-Givsn Only For
Heroic Acts Above and 0eyond Call
Of Duty-claims Of Thousands OF
Discharges Soldiers to es Settled
Speedily by Cutting Red Tape.

Washington Feb. Award OF con-
gressional medals Of honor. the high
est American military decoration, to
two officers and nineteen enlisted men
Of the army in France was announced
today by the war department. Only
three Of the medals had been awarded
previously for service in the great war.
All of the awards were upon recon-
mendation by General Pershins. BY
act of congress the medal can oe given
only for conspicuous gallantry and in
trepidlty above and beyond the call OF
duty in action"
Many distinguished service crosses
for gallantry in action and dis
tinguished service medals given for
conspicuous service of any character
in connection with the army have been
awarded heretofore, but the wearers Of
the medal Of honor constitute special
roll OF honor. 1t carries with 1t
gratuities and certain privileges.
The cross and distinguished service
medal can be awarded by any lnde-
pendent commander in the field. The
medal Of lSnor Is given by the secIc-
tary of war on the recommendation Of
the military commanders. each recon-
mendation being reviewed by a board
of officers to make certain that an un-
usual act Of heroism IL commemoratsd.
List of Heroes.
Some Of the decorations were award
ed posthumouxly. won by men who lost
their lives in heroic acts. None Of the
men was from Iowa.
The names Of the twcnty-one dec
Grated follow:
Capt. Marcellus H. Chi!es. deceased
Denver. Colo.
y Private Jesse n. Funk. Calhan, Colo
Private Charles d. l,arger Stotts
City. Mo.
Sergeant Reidar Walker, no address
1O5th machine gun battalion.
Sergeant Alan Louis Eggers. Sum-
nit. n. J.
Sergeant John Cridland Latham,
nearest OF kin residing at West More
land. England.
Corporal Thomas e. O'Shea. Sum-
nit, n. j.. deceased.
Sergeant James |. Meiztrovitch'
Fresno, Cal, deceased.
Private Frank Gaffney. Lockport,
n Y.
Sergeant Harlod I. Johnston, Dem
yer Colo
Private David B. Barkeley, San An
tonic, Tex.
First Lieutenant James c. Doheire,
Rock Hill. S. c.
Sergeant Richmond H, Hilton. West
vile, s. C.
Sergeant Carey Evans Foster, In
man. S. C.
Sergeant Philip c. Katz, San Fran
cisco, Cal.
Corporal John c. Villapigue, Cam
den, S. G.
Corporal James D. Herot deceased
Providence, s. Z.
Private Calvin John Ward, MOTIFS
town, Tenn. =,
Private Archie Peck. Hornell. \. Y.
Private Robert l.. Blackwell de-
ceased, Hundells, n. c.
Sergeant Wilbur E. Colyer. deceased
South Ozone, Long Island
To Adjust Soldiers Claims.
Thousands Of claims for additional
nav by discharged soldiers whose
records were complete at the time they
we're mustered out may be settled
speedily by the war department. under
a ruling today by the comptroller OF
the treasury to the effect that these
claims are to be adjusted without
passing thru the usual complicated
auditing channels
The director of finance OF the war
department was authorized to adjust
tho claims when a construction OF the
law is not involved and the soldiers
right Is clearly defined.
More than 5000 of these claims. some
OF them four months delayed. are on
file with the auditor of the war depart
ment and many others are IN the
hands OF the director Of finance. Hun
dreds OF complaints have been re-
celved by officers and men charging
that pay or compensation for expenses
was withheld unjustly.