For the first time, a Syracuse University alumnus has been awarded the Medal of Honor.

More than 96 years after his heroic actions during World War I, Sgt. William Shemin, a 1924 SU alumnus, was awarded the Medal of Honor—the highest military award for valor in the U.S.—at a White House ceremony on Tuesday.

Shemin was honored for his actions on Aug. 7-9, 1918, during combat operations near Vesle River, Bazoches, France. During those combat missions, Shemin left the cover of his platoon’s trench and crossed open space, repeatedly exposing himself to heavy machine gun and rifle fire to rescue wounded soldiers. After officers and senior non-commissioned officers died, he took command of the platoon until he was wounded.

“He ran out into the hell of no-man’s land and dragged a wounded comrade to safety. And then he did it again, and again,” President Barack Obama said in the East Room of the White House. “Three times he raced through heavy machine gun fire, three times he carried his fellow soldiers to safety.”

Two of Shemin’s daughters including, Elsie Shemin-Roth—who advocated for years for her father to receive the distinction—received the honor on behalf of their late father. She suspected her father didn’t receive the honor until Tuesday because anti-Semitism was still rampant throughout the U.S. military.

“Well Elsie, as much as America meant to your father, he means even more to America,” Obama said. “It takes our nation too long sometimes to say so, because Shemin served at a time when the contributions and heroism of Jewish-Americans in uniform were too often overlooked.”

“William Shemin saved American lives. He represented our nation with honor.”

During Shemin’s portion of the ceremony, Obama discussed how the New Jersey-native lied about his age in order to join the Army and how Shemin’s love for sports influenced his joining of the service.

Shemin entered the Army on Oct. 2, 1917 and his division arrived in France in May 1918. A year after his actions that earned him the Medal of Honor, Shemin was honorably discharged from the Army. He was previously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross— the second highest military award that can be given to a member of the Army.

A congressional review found both Shemin and Private Henry Johnson, an African American soldier during World War I, were worthy of the Medal of Honor.

“America is the country we are today because of people like Henry and William—Americans who signed up to serve and rose to meet their responsibilities and then went beyond,” Obama said. “The least we can do is say ‘we know who you are, we know what you did for us, we are forever grateful.’”

After returning home from the war, Shemin went to SU and was also a member of the football and lacrosse teams. He died in 1973.

“No one who ever serves our country should ever be forgotten,” Obama said.

Said Obama: “We believe it’s never too late to say thank you.”

Published on June 2, 2015 at 12:28 pm

Contact Justin: jmatting@syr.edu | @jmattingly306