Typed as spelled and written
- Lena Stone Criswell

THE DAILY DEMOCRAT
Thirty-First Year - Number 16
Marlin, Texas, Wednesday, May 20, 1931

TO HONOR MARLIN MAN
FOR DEEDS OF HEROISM

Dan Edwards' Photograph
to Be Placed in Pershing
Memorial Hall
in Paris.

       Dan Edwards of Marlin and Falls county is one of the outstanding heroes of the World War, and all wars.  He received not only the Congressional Medal of Honor for heroism in the World War, but the Distinguished Service Cross as well.  In addition, he was decorated by each of the allied governments with their highest award, and Ripley, in his recent "Believe It or Not" cartoon, carried a picture of Dan, declaring that he had 83 decorations, more than had ever been received by any living human being.

*****

       Dan formerly lived here, and while his is now New York, he still claims Marlin as his home.  When the City of New York presented Pershing Hall, the official American war memorial under construction in Paris, with a tablet costing thousands of dollars, with the names of all Congressional Medal of Honor men from New York engraved thereon, Dan asked to have his name left off, declaring he was from Marlin, Texas, and wanted that always to be considered his home.

*****

       It was in 1907-09, that Dan lived in Marlin, the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Edwards, his father being a barber by trade.  In about 1910 the family moved to Mooreville to engage in farming, and from there Dan volunteered his service on April 6, 1917, at the age of sixteen.  He was sent to join the 19th Infantry at that time on the Mexican border, Brigadier General John J. Pershing in command.

*****

       Later he was transferred to the 26th Infantry and still later to a machine gun battalion of the First Division.  He sailed for France October 8, 1917, saw service for the first time in the trenches, his outfit experiencing a few attacks and raids with the French.

*****

       A few days later he was relieved and after a short time was sent into the Toul sector near Metz.  It was here the boys in khaki showed the enemy that the United States was in the fight and there were some American soldiers over there.  Attacks, counter-attacks and raids followed one right after another.  Dan was burned with gas and recuperated in a field hospital.

*****

       When he reported again to his company, they were sent to a point where the British were being pushed back toward the Somme river.  His company helped check several attacks and in so doing turned the tide against the Germans, stopping their advance.  Dan distinguished himself during these movements.

*****

       After three weeks rest he was informed that his company was to take part in an American drive at Cantigney where General B. B. Buck took command of the Second Brigade of the First Division.  The Germans made nine counter attacks but did not gain any ground.  Dan was wounded in this fighting and went to the base hospital.

*****

       He reported for duty again July 2, 1918, and three days later his outfit was relieved to be sent to Paris for a rest.  But instead, because of the need of men, Dan's company was sent to Chateau Thierry for more fighting.

*****

       Following this fighting, the men were sent to Paris for a short rest, during which time they paraded there. The rest was (missing) however, for on the night of July 17, they were sent to the front again in the vicinity of Soissons.  On the morning of the 18th, the drive in this sector began.

*****

       During the advance, which had been in progress for about three hours, a pound shell struck Dan's gun.  It exploded and tore his arm almost to pieces.  About the same time out of the noise of din of shells and machine gun fire he saw some Germans coming toward him.  He took four of them as prisoners and started back to the rear with them.  They had not gone far before a shell exploded and mangled his left leg, killing one of the prisoners.  The other three prisoners assisted in dressing his wounds and carrying him to the first aid station for treatment.

*****

       Later he was sent to the base hospital in France, and as soon as he was able to travel was informed that his war days were over.  He was sent back to the United States, where he stayed four months in a convalescing hospital in New York.

*****

       Dan Edwards was decorated for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy, not only in one dramatic moment such as the one in which, though already severely wounded, he took four prisoners, but on other occasions.  He displayed conspicuous courage and gallantry on many occasions.

*****

       Pershing Hall, the official War Memorial under construction in Paris, is now practically complete.  Within this memorial will be placed a portrait of the niney-four (sic) men of the American army who received the Congressional Medal of Honor and the Distinguished Service Cross.

*****

       Because of the sentiment attached to this memorial a movement was started which has met with unanimous approval and success, whereby the portraits of the distinguished veterans will be furnished by their respective home-towns.  The portraits will be mounted on ebony plaques, together with the citations concerning feats performed by the veteran whose portrait appears and the name of the veteran's home-town.

*****

       These portraits will cost $100 each.  In writing concerning Dan Edwards' portrait, the chairman of the committee to obtain these portrait says, "Dan would like to have his home-town of Marlin provide this portrait and for that reason I am, on behalf of my board of directors, writing to ask Marlin to send $100 to pay for Colonel Edwards' portrait.

*****

       "I feel that Marlin will take a particular pleasure and honor in doing this, as Dan not only received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroism in the World War, but also the Distinguished Service Cross.  He and Colonel "Wild" Bill Donovan are the only two in the history of the United States who received both the Congressional Medal of Honor and the Distinguished Service Cross.

*****

       "I would not have to stir out of my office here in New York, but could call any number of people on the telephone and in fifteen minutes get a dozen volunteers to put up the $100 necessary for this portrait.  However, a sentimental principle is involved, and as the other towns and cities are providing the portrait of their Congressional Medal of Honor men, with permanent name-plates affixed denoting that fact, we would also like to have, and I know Dan would, his picture presented in a similar manner."

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Permission granted to Theresa Carhart and her volunteers for printing by
The Democrat, Marlin, Falls Co., Texas.