Hyman Freiberg

Hyman Freiberg was born on 14 August 1894 to Jennie Rosensohn (1865-1939) and Charles David (1864-1925) Freiberg in New York, New York. Charles David Freiberg was born in an unknown city within the Russian Empire, immigrating to the U.S. around 1880-1883; Jennie Rosensohn was born in Keidany, Russian Empire (now Kėdainiai, Lithuania), immigrating to the U.S. in 1884-1885. The couple married in 1890 and had four children (Hyman included); Winifred (1896-1984), Isidore Rosensohn (1897-?), and Emmanuel Joseph (1899-1975). Jennie Rosensohn Freiberg was the older sister of Samuel Julian Rosensohn (1879-1939), prominent New York attorney, who, during the War, served as an assistant to Secretary of War Newton D. Baker.

In the early 1900s, the family lived at 246 Henry Street, Manhattan, where Mr. and Mrs. Freiberg worked as milk and egg merchants; by the 1910s, the family moved to 147 Lenox Avenue, Manhattan.

Few details are available on the Freiberg children’s early or post-secondary educations; in the late 1910s, Hyman Freiberg was employed as a bond salesman with New York-based bond brokerage firm Asiel & Co., an entity linked with the New York Stock Exchange for most of its tenure until a merger with Bear Stearns & Co. in the 1980s.

Freiberg was inducted into the U.S. Army on 23 September 1917, initially assigned to Co. G, 307^th Infantry Regiment, 77^th Division. He was promoted to Sergeant on 1 November 1917. Sgt Freiberg and Co. G left New York aboard the U.S. Army Transport Ship Justicia on 7 April 1918. Sgt Freiberg was Discharged on 12 July 1918 to accept a commission as Second Lieutenant, serving with Co. E, 131^st Infantry Regiment, 33^rd Division, AEF. 2^nd Lieutenant Freiberg received the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) for his actions near Chipilly Ridge, France on 9 August 1918,

“The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Second Lieutenant (Infantry) Hyman Freiberg, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 131st Infantry Regiment, 33d Division, A.E.F., near Chipilly Ridge, France, 9 August 1918. Although wounded in an early advance, Second Lieutenant Freiberg went forward with his men until he fell from loss of blood. He refused to be evacuated, and, while his wounds were being treated on the spot, preparatory to resuming the advance, was killed by shell fire.”

An account from PFC George H. Nicholls, Co. E, and the “131st Infantry (First Infantry Illinois National Guard) in the World War; narrative, operations, statistics” publication states that 2^nd Lt. Freiberg’s last words were as follows,

“Well, see it through, kid, but I guess you had better dress up the foot”.

–

“Lieut. Freiberg was stuck in the foot by a machine gun bullet and Pvt. Nicholls was dressing the wound when a shell exploded, shrapnel striking the lieutenant in the head, causing instant death. At Chipilly Ridge, Aug. 9, 1918.”

Freiberg’s death date is consistent, 9 August 1918, but his death location has also been noted as Étinehem-Méricourt, Departement de la Somme, Picardie, France, just north of Chipilly.

2^nd Lt. Freiberg was initially buried in a British Cemetery, Vaux-Sur-Somme, France on 16 August 1918; he was confirmed to be placed at Grave 31, Row A, Plot 1.

Freiberg was disinterred and reburied three times; first on 27 May 1919 at the American Cemetery in Vuax-Sur-Somme at Grave 2, Plot 1, Row D, second on 15 October 1920 in Grave 16, Row B, Plot 1, and third (finally) on 20 October 1922 in Grave 8, Row 13, Block C, Somme American Cemetery, Bony, France (same cemetery from 1919-1922).

Freiberg never married and had no children.