New Britain herald., 1929-12-13
IS WORLD W , R0~ H0NORF , < TWO NATIO' 5 :,z DEAD
 sG Thomas J. S 5S 5 orated by | U. s, and CT Expires Ut --s-r----
II ' s. -t- 9
WITH SECOND DIVISION
 IN BELLEAU WOOD FIGHT

New Britain soldier Awarded Dis tinguishcd service Cross and the
 Distinguished Service Medal by
 America and Croix de Gucrrc by
 France and Cited for Bravery by
 pcrshing and AIIics.
 Thomas James smith, #, of 26 smith street, veteran of the World war and winner of decorations 10" valor from the United States and France and cited for bravery in ac- ton by the high commands of the English Trench and United States governments, died this afternoon "t l:20 o'clork al Inc New Britain General hospital from a conpl,ca ton of illnesses,
 He Was badly wounded by both shrapncI and g1ntire and received a bad gassing in the war and his last illness Is atuributabl" to the et- fleets cf these wounds. He entered the local hospital on November IS and for q time if appeared that he would recover sufficiently 10 be discharged. His condition, however grew steadily worse until he passed away today.
 Fought at BclIcau Wood
 He enlisted in Company H, Nimh Infantry. United States regular army, in tms country and went with that organization 10 France, He fought with the division in its preliminary battles 10 the grca. stand made in and around Bellcau i wood.
 When the German drive that all Iut took Paris was launched il | May of 1917, the Second Division composed of the Jth and 6th rcgI- mcnt of Marines, the gth and 2%C ] infantrics, the I'd Engineers and thC attendant machine gun and artil lcry units, was thrown into thu | breach.
 Meeting the enemy on the Paris ! Metz road, the division units wcG' l forced to charge and meet the Ger man tordcs in the BC'l9au Woo which has since been named tn Bois dc la Brigade des Marines il honor of that corps. Throughou the terrific fighting. smith, who WI then q corporal, gaze fine "Xampl to his comrades in his squad.
 Wounded While in Command
 On June 6, 1918, he was scvorcl wounded. The platoon sergeant and officers had all been killed o wounded and Smith assumed com mand of the section of his company Despite the urging of his comrades Smith refused to leave his post am remained through the fighting 0 the night, encouraging and urgin on the members of his platoon { resist the never-cnding countcr charges of the enemy. He WI evacuated to d hospital next da and was transferred to a base hos pital in the rear where his wound were treated.
 He was returned to this cOuntr as a casual and spent many month in hospitals here being treated fC his wounds. He was discharge with disability from Camp Upton 0 August IS, 1919. He returned { his home in this city. but his phys cal condition prevented him frol following his pre-War pursuits.
 Cited by Gen. Pcrshing For his part in this battle. by special order of General John
 porshing, commander-in-Ch chief the American cXpeditionary force he was given a special citation C October, 1918. The citation, a cor of which is on file at the region office of the United States No crans' bureau in Hartford, reads follows:
 'Thc commander-in-c chief, in q name of the president, awards Il c distinguished service cross to So n gcant Thomas J. Smith of Co. t Ninth infantry, |. s., for acts n extraordinary heroism described
 follows:
 . On June 6, 1918. at Chate3 ,i Continued on Page TWo)