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Captain Henry M Smith, 79th Division AEF, Distinguished Service Cross


Bill_Carman
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On the morning of 26 September 1918, the Meuse-Argonne Offensive kicked off, there were nine A.E.F. Divisions situated along the 25-mile First Army Front.  The 79th Division was roughly mid-way along the front, flanked on the right by the 4th Division and on the left by the 37th Division. The 79th Division was to advance approximately 9 kilometers but after 48 hours the Division had advanced only 4 kilometers.  Captain Henry M Smith, commanding company G, 314th Infantry Regiment, 79th Division was part of that advance. 

 

Captain Henry M Smith was awarded the DSC for actions that occurred on the 26th of September 1918. 

 

His citation reads:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Captain (Infantry) Henry M Smith, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 314th Infantry Regiment, 79th Division, AEF, near Malancourt, France, 26 September 1918.  Although painfully wounded while leading a platoon of his company against strong machine gun nests, Captain Smith continued the advance until all the machine-guns in his immediate front were silenced and the crews killed or taken prisoners.  He continued on duty until ordered to the rear by his regimental commander.

In his book, History of Company G 314th Infantry, published in 1925, Joseph T Labrum former sergeant of Company G, 314th Infantry described Captain’s Smith actions this way.

 

“…We hadn’t reached the top of this elevation before we were fired upon by several machine guns. When they were located Captain Smith, leading about ten men in the face of heavy fire, with grenade and rifle fire finished the obstacle.

 

…Captain Smith, discovering the position of the guns, disdaining all danger, led the company through some thick brush, then to a trench and out to the top of a knoll from which the guns appeared to be firing.  Here, the Hun snipers got in some deadly work while their brethren were suffering the loss of their machine guns through h intuition and quick actions of the captain.

 

…The nest was finally cleared out and several prisoners sent to the rear.  Once more collecting his scattered forces, the captain started forward not to be daunted by the heavy resistance we were meeting.  Hardly a few minutes had elapsed before once more we met resistance, the Huns this time waiting until we were almost on top of them before opening up their fire. Fortunately, they were bad shots and no casualties were suffered by our company, though a company from the three fifteenth lost a first lieutenant and several men at this spot.

 

However, a little later the company lost its leader, Captain Smith, and also a private, Louis Izzi, who was wounded by an exploding hand grenade.  The Captain received his injury which put him out of action while leading a handful of men in an effort to dislodge a machine gun. It all happened this way:  After the machine guns had opened up on us, the section was compelled to take cove because of the excessive fire.  The Captain took inventory of his surroundings, finally locating one of the guns.  While going forward with Sergeant Kapp and Private Hayes, the Captain received his wound.  He immediately sought cover in a shell hole, where he was forced to lay until the Huns left the district, when the captain, though he wanted to go forward, was forced to the rear when the Colonel came up.  Up until the time of his wound the Captain had led two platoons fearlessly in the face of severe machine gun fire and fire from snipers. His leadership, disdaining all personal danger, inspired the men to renewed activity when the situation seemed darkest.  Before he left for the rear the Captain exhorted us to continue forward, which we did in spite of severe resistance.”

Wounded on 26 September 1918, Captain Smith was evacuated to hospital, and eventually found himself in a Depot company during recovery.  It was not until mid-January 1919 that Captain Smith returned to his company.  Taking from Sergeant Labrum’s book:

 

“…The first of January the company had one hundred and four men.  In addition to the return of the wounded men, Lieutenant Cushing came back to the company and was immediately placed in charge.  He brought word that Captain Smith was on his way.  A few days later the captain returned and once more took charge of his company, that he had been absent from for four months.”

 

Fast forward to April 1919, again from Sergeant Labrum’s book:

 

“Finally, Saturday April 12th, the morning of the review came and with it the usual 79th weather, rain. …The men presented an inspiring sight as they passed the reviewing stand with fixed bayonets and wearing helmets and in straight platoon lines.

 

A matter of special interest and pleasure to the company was the awarding of the Distinguished Service Cross to our company commander, Captain Smith, for exceptional bravery in the battle of Montfaucon.  The whole company felt a keen pride in having its commander decorated.”

 

The French Citation that covers the Legion of Honor and Croix Guerre with Palm on Page 185 of the "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Foreign Decorations and Translated Citations, General Order No.1, The adjutant General's Office, January 1, 1923."  The French citation closely parallels the U.S. DSC citation.at will line up with the text on the French documents that you have.   The text reads as follows:

 

Smith, Henry McGinley, Captain, 314th infantry, 79th Division. 

 

French Legion d'Honneur ( Chevalier) by Presidential Decree of May 10,1919 and French Croix de Guerre with palm, under Order No. 16.527 "D" dated April 19, 1919, General Headquarters, French Armies of the East, with the following citation: "Although severely wounded on September 26, 1918, while attacking a strong nest of machine guns, Captain Smith continued to advance until these guns were silenced and their gunners killed or taken prisoner.  He remained at his post until his regimental commander ordered him to go to the rear." 

 

Residence at appointment: 123 Seminary Avenue, Greensburg, Pa.

 

The Distinguished Service Cross, number 2071, the French Legion d'Honneur (Chevalier), and both French Croix de Guerres were placed in a frame, exposing the ribbons to sunlight, eventually fading them.  This is very apparent 1n the picture of the four decorations reversed.  All of the certificates remain in the original frames, a nice birds eye style wood.  I had the glass replaced in the 1918 DSC Citation certificate, it had been missing for a period of time and the certificate suffered some water spotting.  All of the frames received new packing and mounting hardware.  Everything was hung on one of few remaining empty walls including a nice studio portrait of Smith.  Smith’s Columbia Accolade was for wounds received, but I tend to think he did not apply for a Purple Heart Medal when they became available in 1932, but I do not know for sure until I have an AGO card search done. 

Smith DSC 1.JPG

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Henry McGinley Smith.jpg

Smith 3.jpg

Smith Cert 1.jpg

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Smith Cert 3.jpg

Smith Cert 4.jpg

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Smith Cert 6.jpg

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Smith Wall 2.jpg

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That is a remarkable grouping that thankfully has remained together all these years.  Your research and summary is excellent as well.  Thanks very much for posting it.  

Dennis

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Awesome collection!  My great uncle, Cpl Carroll Hockersmith, was in the machine gun company of the 316th Regiment of the 79th Infantry.  He was wounded by HE shrapnel at Montfaucon two days after Capt Smith.  I'm sure they trod the same ground many times in 1917 and 1918.  In his will, he donated all of his WWI medals, including his post war Verdun Medal, Purple Heart and the piece of shell that wounded him to the Shippensburg (PA) Historical Society.

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Radio Operator

Amazing story and display! The documents are really cool to see up until now I don't think I've ever seen the DSC and Legion of Honor ones.  

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