The Nenana news., 1923-01-27
ROAD COMMISSION MEMBER
 IGNORED WITH D. s. MEDAL

December 15 last, for conspicuous services rendered by him in France during the World War. according to official notification received at Jun eau recently. The medal has been forwarded to the Commanding Gen eral, Ninth Corps Area, Presidio. San Francisco, for presentation to Colonel Gotwals.
 The citation recommended to ac- company the D. s. Nj. declared:
 Major John C Gotwals, formerly Lieutenant Colonel, Corps of En- gineers for exceptionally meritorious and conspicuous service in the ere ation, equipment, training and fight ing of the Searchlight Units t56th Engineers of the American Expedi- tionary Forces. After demonstrating his creative ability in developing while member Of the Board of En- gineeT Troops numerous items of en- gineer equipment needed in the World War, he served in France from August 20, 1917. to November 15, 1918, in command of the Seth Engineers successively with the Bri- tish army in the Somme 'Defen- sive, the French army in the Somme Defensive and the Aisne Offensive and with the First and Second American armies in the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne Offensives. The conspicuous success Of the c0-opera- ton of the searchlights and pursuit planes in combating enemy night bombers was due largely to his ex- ceptional ingenuity. initiative an5 tireless vigilance" The citation also mentions service as member of the Board of Engineers Command of the Searchlight Troops, director Of Anti Aircraft Searchlight School at Lan- gres, in charge of Searchlight 0. (. F., c. H. O.. in charge of evacua- ton of Second Army and Advance Sections s. o. s. Areas. in charge of Base Section No ?.
 While Colonel Gotwals is natur- ally gratified at the decoration. he told a representative of the Juneau Empire his principal pleasure is ''in the recognition of the services per formed by the regiment carrying out all the searchlight work of the A. E F.. and also with British and French forces. which were of really significant value in combating night bombing activities of the German forces" He went over in August 1917, as captain in command of a company of ITO engineer troops. Of that number 120 were retained as the nucleus for the Searchligh. Troops which were merged into the 56th Engineers numbering 2.5o0 men .: ...
 His duties given briefly without attempting to go into detail includ- ed: At the Front with the First and Second American Armies and French and British forces, directing the op- erations of Searchlight Troops from the 56th Engineers and developing coordination of pursuit planes and searchlights in bringing down en- emy night bombing machines, and commanding the Seth Engineers; at c. H. O., American Expeditionary Forces. in charge of Searchlight sec tion; at Army Schools director of the anti aircraft searchlight school: in the Service of Supply, in charge of all the matters pertaining to searchlight supply and experimental directing the searchlight depot and machines al Gieves the advance searchlight depot at Ft. Du Mont Valerien; directing the American section with American Air Service for searchlight training at Chateau Dun: advising in all directions from the 4. E. F. to Ie War Department at home with reference to search light material and personnel; ad- vising the Chief of Engineers of flee in the United States with refer ence to searchlight experimentation.
 Colonel Gotwals was recommende' y for the D. g. NJ. while in France and again in the United States. The Board of Decoration turned down the recommendation under an es- tabhshed rule that the medal would not be awarded TO officers under the rank Of Colonel. Tn lieu he was given a certificate for meritorious service. Recommendations were re- newed again last year and the board reversed its former action. Break ing the above mentioned rule, how
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