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THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA 3 AMERICAN CATHOLICS IN THE GREAT WAR BY JOHN G. COYLE, M. D. State Deputy For New York, Knights of Columbus. Because of the vast forces engaged, numbering something over 4,000,000 men, and the brief time which ha* elapsed since hostilities ceased, as well as the fact that complete casualty lists are not yet available, it is, of course, impossible to present a complete statement of the work of the American Catholics in the Great War. Eventually, from the stud- es of the questionnaires filled out by registrants, from the reports of the various bureaus of the army and the navy, and from other governmental department records, accurate statistics will be obtainable and the history of the American Catholic participation may be adequately presented. It will be the joyous duty of the National Catholic Welfare Council to prepare and to publish that history. But certain features of the war, already known to us, present the services of Catholics in such strik ing and memorable ways as to require a brief out line at this time. Priority of service and distinc tion of service and sacrifice conspicuously mark the history of the American Irish in this stupendous war. By vote of the Congress of the United States, supporting the opinion of President Woodrow Wilson, a state of war against us by Germany was declared to exist on April 6, 1917. That day was Good Fri day, the day which is the anniversary of the death upon the Cross of the Founder of Christian relig ion, Who prayed to His Father for forgiveness of His enemies. It is a day upon which no Christian desires to hold a thought of enmity or hostility to ward any being made in the image and likeness of Almighty God. But it was on that day that the blood-lust and world-aggression of Germany com pelled the United States of America to enter the war. The very next day, April 7th, 1917, the first American soldier lost his life in the service of his country. John McNamara, a private in the First Pennsylvania Regiment, was shot from ambush while guarding a bridge at Reading, Pa. Thus, the very first life given in the Great War by America was that of a Catholic boy of Irish blood. The first American officer killed in the war was like wise a Catholic young man of Irish blood, Dr. Wil liam T. Fitzsimmons, of Kansas City, Mo. He was killed by a German aviator who bombed the hospital where Dr. Fitzsimmons, lieutenant in the Medical Corps, was in service, although plainly marked on the roof were great red crosses which proclaimed the nature of the building. The bomb killed Dr. Fitzsimmons and six nurses, besides injuring many patients. A memorial in honor of Dr. Fitzsimmons has been erected in Kansas City. Catholic Fired First Shot. The first shot fired against the German forces was discharged by John Howard Pitman, a red headed gunner from South Bend, Ind., son of an Alsatian father and an Irish mother, Catholic in religion. The shell-casing was sent to President Wilson as a souvenir. The first hand-to-hand conflict on foreign soil took place in Lorraine on the night of November 2 and the morning of November 3, 1917. It is singu lar that at that time of the war all the soldiers of the Allied forces were on French or Belgian soil on the Western front. There were Belgians, French, Irish, Scotch, Moros, Welsh, Canadians, Portuguese’, Russians, Siamese, East Indians, British and others engaged in that line. But the only non-French sol diers then serving on German territory were the soldiers from the United States. The Germans came over in a raid with the intent of inspiring terror among the Americans and to capture prisoners for the purpose of showing the German people that the Americans were not invin cible. A terrific barrage cut off one American trench section from all support or reinforcements, and when the Germans were sure that the trench was isolated they attacked, believing that the Americans, outnum bered forty to one, would surrender. But the Ameri can soldiers had not gone three thousand miles to sur render. They had gone to fight—to win or die. And they fought, and died. Three paid the last penalty that night. Their names are Gresham, Hay and Enright. The last of these three was a native of Jamestown, N. Y., and a resident of Pitts burg. Penn., Thomas F. Enright, Catholic, and of Irish blood. He is buried with the other two in Lorraine. Near where they fell the people of Lor raine have erected a monument commemorating the deaths of the first American soldiers to die in bat tle on foreign soil in the defense of the liberty of the world. In honor of Enright the city of Pittsburg has changed the name of the street on which he lived to Enright stree. Jamestown has likewise com memorated him. Among the first French War Crosses awarded to American soldiers two were given to Corporal Frank Hurley and Sergeant George F. Dever, both Catholics. A Catholic Hero. The first Congressional Medal of Honor given in the Navy was awarded to Patrick McGonigal, a Catholic, son of William and Mary Gonigal of Youngstown, Ohio. McGonigal was one of the ship’s crew sent in a boat to rescue a naval aero naut, whose balloon had fallen into the sea. The balloonist was caught in the network under the bal loon and was drowning in the high waves. The heavy seas prevented the boat from reaching the drowning man. McGonigal plunged overboard, swam to the balloon, cut the imprisoned airman loose, and swam back to the boat with the rescued balloonist. For this heroic act he received the Medal of Honor and other rewards. The first volunteer regiment to land in France was the famous Irish Ninth of Massachusetts, now known as the 101st United States Infantry, the men overwhelmingly Catholic with the Catholic Chaplain, Rev. M. J. O’Connor. The first engineer regiment to reach France was the Eighteenth, composed to the extent of 40 per cent of men of Irish blood and 38 per cent Catholic in faith. Two regiments known for more than fifty years as Irish Catholic regiments are the Ninth Massa chusetts and the Sixty-ninth New York. Again and again during this war these regiments have been comended. They have been sent to Champagne, to Toul. to Verdun, to the Marne, the Ourcq, the