A soldier who displayed heroic actions during World War I is one step closer to being awarded the Medal of Honor. Though this award must typically be issued within five years of the brave act, Elsie Shemin-Roth is seeking an exception for her father, who was denied the medal because of his Jewish heritage, according to Military Times.
Remembering bravery
According to Military Times, Shemin, the New Jersey-born child of Russian immigrants, joined the Army at age 18, and was immediately sent to France. It was during a bloody battle in 1918 that the then 19-year-old displayed outstanding courage. While American soldiers were being taken down left and right, the servicemember sprang into action, opening fire on enemy troops and leading his platoon to safety over the course of three days. Military Times noted that he was eventually struck in the helmet by German gunfire, which put him in the hospital for a few months, and diminished his hearing for the rest of his life. The shrapnel-induced wounds he sustained throughout this mission also affected his long-term health, making him practically unable to walk toward the end of his life.
A long road to recognition
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that it has been a 12-year process for Shemin-Roth, the now 85-year-old resident of Webster Groves, Missouri. Though her father had been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in 1919, the second-highest military honor, she knew his actions were worthy of the Medal of Honor. When she heard that a number of Jewish WWII veterans were having their awards reviewed for upgrades due to discrimination at the time they were issued, she decided to pursue the same for her father, who passed away in 1973.
In 2011, she was able to pass the William Shemin Jewish World War I Veterans Act, which gives a one-year window for people to re-submit cases similar to her father's – though the review process comes with very strict rules. For example, there needs to be eyewitness accounts available for the award committee to look over, something that can be difficult to find with cases that occurred decades, or even centuries, ago. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch noted that luckily for Shemin-Roth, her father had kept a plethora of war documents during his life after service, including six detailed accounts from his colleagues who saw him risk his life to save others.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that while Shemin would not qualify for the medal under current military standards, he more than proved himself based on 1919 guidelines. Many people received the award for committing a singular heroic act, while records prove that Shemin committed multiple. Most of the people who have reviewed his file believe he should have been given the honor back then, and hope that he will be recognized for his service soon. The final decision will be made by President Obama.
"I am just so pleased that we are finally going down the homestretch," Shemin-Roth told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.