The nation honored thousands of Americans for valor during World War I, thousands and thousands. We have a list.
On behalf of Congress, the president awarded the highest recognition, the Medal of Honor, to 121 men for life-endangering, valorous action during combat in 1917 or 1918.
One hundred and twenty-one is a lot of names to remember, but it's an easy number beside the 6,185 who during 1917-18 earned the second highest military honor, the Distinguished Service Cross at least once (some earned a couple or many crosses, for instance, aviator Edward Rickenbacker; see valor.defense.gov).
Each of the names represents -- not just the story of a brave deed -- an unknowable story of a life that created a mind that decided what to do in a moment under fire.
Unknowable life stories are frustrating. We want the story.
Case in point -- Army Sgt. William M. Norton of Hardy (or possibly Sitka) in Sharp or Fulton County. Or maybe he was from Jonesville in Miller County.
A century ago this week, the Arkansas Gazette and Arkansas Democrat reported Norton's name among the first three Americans ever to win the Army's then-new Distinguished Service Cross. A stack of headlines in the Gazette on March 21, 1918, read: Arkansan Given Military Cross. Sergeant William Norton One of Three Decorated for Heroism. Refuses to Surrender. Surrounded by Enemy He Makes Brave Dash, Kills Assailant, Saves Log Book.
The report says Norton formerly lived in Arkansas. The other recipients were Lt. John O. Greene and Sgt. Patrick Walsh, not formerly of Arkansas. All three had already been honored by French Premier Georges Clemenceau.
Norton a veteran in service was decorated for his act in killing a German lieutenant and two German soldiers. He was challenged by the lieutenant to leave his dugout and led out his men fighting.
On April 20, the Democrat published what appears to be a wire feature story, "Sergt. Bill Norton of Arkansas Led Men From Dugout, Fighting." Topped by a dramatic drawing that depicts Norton firing point blank at a German, the story begins, "He led his men out fighting!"
It describes Norton as being from Jonesville. Also, it says he is known to his men as Bill Norton, the "two-fisted, rough-and-ready fighter from the West." Also, that he never learned the word "surrender" in Arkansas, "so of course he could not recognize it when uttered in guttural German."
Bill leaped out snorting, shot the audacious lieutenant who would ask an Arkansan from Jonesville, if you please, to surrender; and before the Huns knew what was happening shot down two other Huns. Then his men swarmed out behind him and the raiding party was taught that "idiotic Americans" know a thing or two about fighting.
ARTISTIC LICENSE
Where did the Democrat get the drawing? Who invented the two-fisted Bill Norton of the West?
With help from Arkansas Democrat-Gazette artist Kirk Montgomery, we can gather around the internet and hover our magnifying glasses over Edward Samuel Goodnow (1874-1949). He was a newspaper illustrator who conducted an art school in Ohio. His signature greatly resembles that seen in the line drawing used in the Democrat.
In 1914, Goodnow published a fascinating book about his occupation, Inside Facts About the Earnings, Methods and Requirements of the Newspaper Artist and Advertisement Illustrator: Hints and Helps for the Student of Practical Drawing. See arkansasonline.com/319ink
In 1918, he was living in Dayton, Ky., but drawing illustrations and cartoons for the Cincinnati Times Star of Cincinnati.
INFANTRY JOURNAL
I found a more plausible -- and gripping -- account in the digital archives of Infantry Journal (arkansasonline.com/319first) for March 1922.
In "The Winning of the First D.S.C.'s," Capt. Charles S. Coulter reports that late in February '18, the First Division's 18th Infantry was entrenched in the Ansauville sector of Lorraine, north of the French city of Toul. Intelligence learned the Germans planned a big shove to silence the enthusiastic American artillery, which was returning shells at a rate of five to one.
The infantry prepared, withdrawing to a strategic attack point and leaving two automatic-gun nests parked just in front of where the whole garrison had been.
Troops were exhausted from days of vigilance, and heavy fog smothered the ground March 1 when the German storm company struck. It was "240 strong and equipped with flame throwers, 'hell boxes' [handheld detonators], potato-mashers and all manner of instruments for the rapid and effective destruction of the American trenches, dugouts and other defensive works, as well as the Americans themselves."
Norton was first duty sergeant and "Paddy" Walsh was acting first sergeant for one Capt. Stuart Hoover. Walsh was a 30-year veteran, and Norton had 28 years in service. Second Lt. Greene, of the 6th Field Artillery, had been attached to their company as a liaison officer so long he was regarded as family.
When the barrage started, Hoover and Walsh ran for the gun posts, but a shell hit Hoover and wounded the lieutenants in the gun crew. Walsh took charge, directing the guns and mowing down the advancing enemy.
Meanwhile, Greene and Norton were in the command post dugout. Greene was on the telephone, failing to raise artillery commander Major Downer (I kid you not, John Walker Downer); Norton was gathering maps and papers to take them to safety.
Germans arrived outside. Their leader yelled, "Come out of there, you American dogs, and fight."
Wearing gas masks, Greene and Norton accepted the invitation. Norton was in the lead. He was halfway up the stairs when a grenade knocked off his helmet, on its way to exploding behind Greene and injuring his leg. Norton had trouble seeing but kept on.
He said later: "I was in a trap. If I stayed there I would be killed and nothing more than that would happen if I went up. Besides, I might get the other fellow."
He fired three shots into the German lieutenant's heart and, Coulter reports, an intelligence officer who examined those holes swore a silver dollar covered all three.
When Greene made it upstairs, he saw the raiders fleeing, gathered all the men he could find and gave chase.
German casualties numbered 120, plus two officers; the Americans lost all of their officers, plus 54 men. But they saved the outpost.
Walsh stayed in the Army as a color sergeant with plans to retire as an old man. Greene became a cavalry officer and was stationed in 1922 on the Mexican border.
Norton retired out after the Army invaded Germany.
In the Aug. 26, 1919, Democrat, "William M. Norton, Sitka" is listed among 202 returning soldiers who had applied to the U.S. Employment Agency for help getting jobs. These men were sent to Camp Pike in North Little Rock for demobilization.
In the Nov. 11, 1921, Democrat, "Sergt. William M. Norton of Hardy" attended a breakfast at the Hotel Marion and other Armistice Day to-dos conducted in Little Rock for "Arkansas men who won distinction in the World War."
A Sgt. William Mills Norton (1868-1941) is buried in a national cemetery in San Francisco. But Montana newspapers record other William Nortons with war medals. A one-legged William claimed a Silver Star. Another was a shoplifter.
So what was his life story? I don't know, but I do know he was more than just a name on a long, long list.
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ActiveStyle on 03/19/2018