Maurice Shoman

Maurice Shoman’s Personal Narrative was derived from information found in public records, military personnel files, and local/state historical association materials. Please note that the Robb Centre never fully closes the book on our servicemembers; as new information becomes available, narratives will be updated to appropriately represent the life story of each veteran.

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Military Honor(s):

Distinguished Service Cross

Citation: The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Maurice Shoman, Private, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Verdun, France, October 27, 1918. After killing many of the enemy, Private Shoman was left alone in a shell hole with no more ammunition. Finding himself surrounded by a sudden counterattack of the enemy, he grabbed a light machine-gun and held off the enemy until he was rescued by his comrades. The fire from his gun was decidedly instrumental in overcoming the counterattack.

Croix de Guerre (Unknown Level)

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Life & Service

  • Birth: 15 March 1894 , Russia
  • Place of Residence:
  • Race/Ethnicity: Jewish American
  • Death: 19 December 1952 Los Angeles, CA, United States
  • Branch: Army
  • Military Rank: Private
  • Company: [D]
  • Infantry Regiment: 101st
  • Division: 26th
Early Life (Pre-War): Includes general parent information, sibling information, education Toggle Accordion

Maurice Shoman was born to Samuel (1867-1920) and Edith Sandler (1875-1944) on 15 March 1894 or 6 in an unknown region in the Russian Empire. He was the third of seven children; Annie (1891-1953), Mary (1895-1955), Simon (1899-1969), Bessie (1906-?), Robert (1907-1986), and Israel (1908-?), Bessie, Robert, and Israel were born in the United States. The Shomans arrived in the U.S. anywhere between 1901 and 1905; the family settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Few details are available regarding Shoman’s early education.

Service: Includes a summary of transfers, rank change(s), training, enlistment, and discharge locations Toggle Accordion

Shoman may have enlisted in the Massachusetts National Guard on 23 June 1916. Shoman’s unit was federalized, his enlistment date was shown to be 23 June 1917; he was assigned to Co. D, 101st Infantry Regiment, 26th Division, AEF. Pvt Shoman and his Company left the United States on an unknown date, aboard an unknown U.S. Army Transport Ship. Pvt Shoman received the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions on 27 October 1918 near Verdun, France;

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Private Maurice Shoman (ASN: 60429), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company D, 101st Infantry Regiment, 26th Division, A.E.F., near Verdun, France, 27 October 1918. After killing many of the enemy, Private Shoman was left alone in a shell hole with no more ammunition. Finding himself surrounded by a sudden counterattack of the enemy, he grabbed a light machine-gun and held off the enemy until he was rescued by his comrades. The fire from his gun was decidedly instrumental in overcoming the counterattack.

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“Corp. Maurice Shoman of Co D, 101st Infantry, son of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Shoman of this town, has been recommended for a Distinguished Service Cross for bravery in the battle of Belleau Wood, according to letters received from the Plymouth boys in France yesterday. Corp Shoman, who is 24 years of age, was born in Russia, but came here when a young boy. He served with the Standish Guards, Co. D, 5th Massachusetts Regiment, on the Mexican Border, and in August, 1917, went with them to Framingham, later being changed over into the 101st, with which regiment he sailed for France, where he saw active service up to the last minute.

In a letter written by him Nov 22 to his father he gives a brief summary of his work while in France and also tells of winning the cross. The letter is written from Aix Les Bains, and is in part as follows:

Am writing from the hotel today, as I am leaving here tomorrow. We once had a day called mothers’ day and every soldier had a chance to write to his mother. Our regiment was on the lines as usual and I didn’t get a chance. Now we are having dad’s day, and as I have a lot of time I’ll try to give you a little dope on what I’ve been doing since I have been here. Beginning in February last, we hit the trenches in Cremin des Dames.

We stayed there for two months, and we struck the Toul front on the first of April. We came out the last of June for a rest, but just then the enemy started their big drive through Chateau Thierry, and as the French couldn’t hold them, we were brought up there, and we not only stopped them, but we counter-attacked and drove them 18 miles.

The next day we drove them 16 miles. We traveled so fast that our artillery could not keep up with us and so we of the infantry did it all. There were two regiments of infantry from the Marine Corps with us. We were also the ones on the St. Mihiel front, where we freed 150 square miles of French territory. Then we went to Verdun and after that a place called Belleau Wood. After that battle I was recommended for a DSC and expect to get it before long.

We finished up our fighting the minute the armistice was signed. We fought until the last minute. I was given something else by my colonel, which I’ll tell you about when I return home.”

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“…The post has two DSC men, and one of them, Maurice Shoman, wears also the Croix de Guerre with the palm. Shoman was in D Company, and in the Argonne on Oct. 27 found himself alone with one other man in an advanced post when his battalion fell back. His was the liaison battalion, and any sagging of the line at that point was serious.

Shoman had an automatic rifle, several Springfields, a captured German machine gun and a whole heap of grenades. He stuck, and the other man stuck also until he was hit and hat to go back. Then Shoman stuck alone, and as it afterwards developed, held a whole battalion front single handed for two days and one night. He was credited with killing 45 Germans. The Croix de Guerre he earned on Nov 11, and he says he was the last man to go over the top. He was given the ticklish job of going out into No Man’s Land and showing himself, to see if the Germans had yet retired. Of course, if they had not he would have been killed. But they had.

On the other end of the battalion front was Victor Wedell, in a position similar to that of Shoman. He stuck also, and was recommended for the DSC. It never came through but he was given the Croix de Guerre.”

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On an unknown date, Shoman was promoted to Sergeant, and reassigned to the 291st Company, Military Police Corps. Sgt Shoman and the 291st left Brest, France on 23 July 1919 aboard the U.S. Army Transport Ship U.S.S. Santa Clara, arriving in New York on 3 August. He may have been transferred to 292nd Company, 145th Battalion; he was finally assigned to 922nd Company, Military Police Corps. Sgt Shoman was Honorably Discharged on 8 August.

Shoman may potentially have a Croix de Guerre, unknown level.

Later Life (Post-War): Includes post-war education, occupation, marriage(s) and/or children, location and date of death Toggle Accordion

Upon his discharge, Shoman lived with his parents on Sandwich Street in Plymouth, working as an iron molder. In 1922, Shoman was elected to the position of Commander of Plymouth American Legion Post 40. In the 1930s-1940s, he resided on Oak Street (64) with his sister and brother-in-law, Nathan and Annie Shoman Goldsmith. In the 1950s, Shoman lived at 3942 South Walton Avenue, Los Angeles, California. On 6 November 1952, Shoman married Mabel Stone (1893-?) in Los Angeles.

Shoman died just over a month later on 19 December 1952 in Los Angeles of an unknown cause; he is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.