Legion Post Continues Quest To Honor WW1 Heroes

.............By Bob Lessard American Legion Simeon L. Nickerson Post 64

...........Middleboro Gazette – A response letter from the Department of the Army to and inquiry by Sen. Scott Brown's staff has been received regarding WW I soldiers Sgt. Simeon L. Nickerson, Cpl. Michael J. O'Connell and Pvt. Thomas a. Ryan concerning their volunteer actions on July 23, 1918, when they were killed in action

...........Responding to the inquiry was James C McNaughton, chief, contemporary studies branch, of the you. S. Armies center of military history at Fort Lesley J. McNair in Washington, D. C.

..........In a reply letter, Mr. McNaughton provided portions of the battle action regarding the 26th Yankee division and company D of the 101st infantry to which the three were assigned.

..........His letter in part states, ”the 26th Yankee division, activated on July 18, 1918 arrived in France on September 21 as the second American division to join the American expeditionary forces. After a lengthy training. And service in quiet sectors, the division went into battle on July 15, 1918 to help blunt the German campaign – Marne offensive.”

..........The letter adds,“The Allied counter attacked on July 18. The 26th Division attached to the American 1 Corp. and French Sixth Army was deployed just west of Chatteau–Thierry, where the terrain consisted of rolling hills,vast wheat fields, and scattered woods. The division attacked East–Northeast with the 52nd brigade on the left of the 51st brigade (including the 101st infantry on the right.)Inital progress was limited; by July 21, the Division had advanced roughly four miles. Before it lay the towns of Epieds on the left and Trugny on the right.”

..........Mr. McNaughton then wrote, ”On July 22, the 101st infantry was moved from reserve into the line.”

..........“On July 23, the 101st pushed passed Trugny towards the woods to the east known as the Bois De Trugny. Officers called for volunteers to locate the enemy machine guns hidden in the woods that were preventing further advance," said the letter from the U. S. Army Center of military history.

.........(Editors note: The description of the following proceedings is what has raised an issue by members of American Legion Post 64 of Middleboro and that of Jamaica Plain Post 76 as to why the men were not given the Medal of Honor, the highest American military award.}

........Quoting the military report, ”From company D, 101st Battalion, Sgt.Simeon L. Nickerson, Cpl. Michael J. O'Connell and Pvt. Thomas a. Ryan volunteered.”

........“They advanced across a wheat field with little or no cover, located a machine gun position, and attempted to attack, but were struck down, either by the targeted machine gun or a second machine gun,or snipers (accounts vary).”

........The report continues, ”Their commander recommended them for the Distinguished Service Cross, which was awarded posthumously. The citation noted, the heroic self-sacrifice of these three men saved the lives of many of their comrades who would have been killed had the company attempted to advance."

.........Sgt. Nickerson and Pvt. Ryan were later buried in the Oise-Aines American cemetery in France. After the war, Cpl. O'Connell’s remains were shipped to his family in Ireland for burial.

........American Legion members of Middleborough post 64, which carries Simeon L. Nickerson's name, and the Jamaica Plain American Legion Post 76 which originally carried Michael J. O'Connell’s name, are questioning the award of the Distinguished Service Cross to the three men instead of the Medal of Honor.

........The Distinguished Service Cross was instituted on July 9, 1918 as the second highest U. S. Military award. According to published reports, the DSC was created due to a purge of Medal of Honor awards which had occurred in late 1917, after a Congressional study.

.........A recent issue (November/December) of the VFW magazine in an article by Robert Widener titled “Who was the most decorated U. S. Servicemen of World War I?” wrote in part “…addressed the notion among WW1 fighting men that the MOH had diminished in importance due to its over distribution prior to WW1, particularly during the Civil War and the Indian campaigns.”

.........In addition, Widener wrote, “According to Warren Hastings Miller in his book, "The Boys of 1917", MOH’s awarded “during the war between the states were often for “valor in action,” or for taking the flag from the enemy. Miller goes on to say that servicemen felt a more characteristic award should be given that would be “in a class by itself,” hence the DSC.

.........Medal of honor language is specific: “In order to justify an award of the medal of honor, the individual must perform in action a of personal bravery or self sacrifice above and beyond the call of duty, so conspicuous as clearly to distinguish him for gallantry and intrepidity above his comrades, involving risk of life or the performance or more than ordinary hazardous service, the omission of which would not justly subject him to censure as for shortcoming or failure in the performance of his duty. The recommendations for the declaration will be judged by the standard of extraordinary merit, and incontestable proof of the performance of the service will be exacted.”

.........Local American Legion members point out the words “above and beyond the call of duty” and the "self–sacrificing and risk of life or the performance of more than hazardous service” when they questioned the reporting of the DSC versus the Medal of Honor.

.........Bob Burke, Commander of Middleboro's Simeon L. Nickerson Post 64 and also a District 10 committeeman of the American Legion, has sent a letter to John Lennote, Commander of the Massachusetts Department of the American Legion, asking the state group to support a request for an upgrade of the Distinguished Service Cross to the Medal of Honor for the three men.