More than a year after first introducing legislation in Congress ensuring that Jewish World War I veterans receive the recognition they deserve for extraordinary acts of military service, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-9) today praised the U.S. Senate for passing an identical bill and sending it back to the House for final consideration.

The Senate legislation sponsored by Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV) mirrors Luetkemeyer’s original bill that cleared the House in May as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012. The legislation, known as the William Shemin Jewish World War I Veterans Act,is named after Sgt. William Shemin, a Jewish American who earned the Distinguished Service Cross in 1918 for saving three of his fellow soldiers’ lives during an intense three-day battle in France, while also leading his platoon in combat after more senior soldiers were wounded or killed. Shemin passed away in 1973 but his daughter, Elsie Shemin-Roth, a resident of Labadie, MO, has passionately worked on behalf of her father’s military legacy. Mrs. Shemin-Roth proudly noted that her father’s medal was approved by native Missourian and General of the Armies John J. Pershing.  

“It is critically important that we provide brave Jewish Americans like Sergeant Shemin the opportunity to receive the recognition they may not have been afforded because of potential discrimination at the time,” Luetkemeyer said. “I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House to send this bill to the president for his signature.”

The bill would authorize the Secretary of the Army and Secretary of the Navy to review the records of Jewish American military members that served between April 6, 1917, and November 11, 1918, and who were previously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Navy Cross or other military decoration for service during World War I to see if any qualify for the Medal of Honor.

Congress has previously required reviews of veterans who may have been overlooked.  In 2001, Congress passed the Leonard Kravitz Jewish War Veterans Act, which gave Jewish soldiers the opportunity to receive the Medal of Honor for their service in World War II. And the 1997 Defense Authorization Act waived restrictions and limitations so that Asian American, American Pacific Islanders, and African American veterans’ files could be reviewed to determine if they should be awarded the Medal of Honor. 

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