After passage of the Fiscal Year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that includes language to ensure Sergeant William Shemin is eligible to receive the Medal of Honor, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer had the following statement:

“Late last week, the Senate passed the NDAA which included language that specifically states the president may award the Medal of Honor to Sergeant William Shemin for his acts of valor during World War I. For years I have worked to ensure Sergeant Shemin is rightfully awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions fighting for our nation. It is so important that we provide brave Jewish American veterans like Sergeant Shemin the opportunity to receive the recognition they may not have been afforded because of potential discrimination at the time. I want to thank Senator Roy Blunt for including the language in the NDAA and I look forward to receiving notice that the president has signed this bill into law so we can begin the last step. It is my hope that the president swiftly signs this legislation and moves forward with posthumously awarding Sergeant Shemin the Medal of Honor.”

Sergeant Shemin passed away in 1973, but his daughter, Elsie Shemin-Roth, a resident of Labadie, Missouri and a constituent of Luetkemeyer’s, has passionately worked on behalf of her father’s military legacy. After meeting with Shemin-Roth, Luetkemeyer secured passage of language in the Fiscal Year 2012 NDAA that provides for reviews of the service records of Jewish World War I veterans who may not have received the awards they deserved for extraordinary acts of military service, due to discrimination at the time. Since then, and the Pentagon has completed a review of Sergeant Shemin’s records connected to Sergeant Shemin’s service, and, most recently, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel recommended that the president should posthumously award Sergeant Shemin the Medal of Honor. This year’s NDAA includes a technical correction that will allow the process that was started several years ago by Luetkemeyer to move forward without delay.  The president must now decide whether to award Sergeant Shemin the Medal of Honor.