Nathan Gobey

Nathan Gobey’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: Posthumousy awarded

Citation: The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Nathan Gobey, Sergeant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Medeah Ferme, France, October 5, 1918. While his company was being held up by heavy fire from an enemy machine-gun nest, Sergeant Gobey, fearlessly and in great danger to himself, succeeded in flanking the nest and putting three machine guns out of action. In the performance of this act, he was killed instantly.

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Life & Service

  • Birth: 28 March 1898, Brest, Belarus
  • Place of Residence:
  • Race/Ethnicity: Jewish American
  • Death: 5 October 1918 Medeah Ferme, France
  • Branch: Army
  • Military Rank: Sergeant
  • Company: [B]
  • Infantry Regiment: 9th
  • Division: 2nd
Personal Narrative
Early Life (Pre-War): Includes general parent information, sibling information, education Toggle Accordion

Nathan Gobey was born to Barnet (1870-?) and Anna Milner (1869-1945) Gobey in Brisk, Russian Empire (now Brest, Belarus) on 28 March 1898. Gobey was the fourth of seven children; Morris (1890-1982), Fannie (1892-1961), Oscar (1893-?), Molly (1902-?), Benjamin (1908-1991), and Roy David (1910-1979), the latter two being born in the United States. The family emigrated to the U.S. around 1907, settling on Forsyth St. in Manhattan.

Barnet Gobey was an iron worker into the 1910s- he died before 1918. Anna Milner Gobey and several of her children relocated to 75-77 Riverton St., New York City sometime around 1917-1918. Few details are known regarding Gobey’s early life and education.

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

Gobey enlisted in the U.S. Army at Ft. Slocum, New York on 12 June 1917, initially assigned to 2nd Recruit Co., Ft. Slocum until 20 June. Then-Private Gobey was reassigned to Co. B, 48th Infantry Regiment until 14 August, and finally assigned to Co. B, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, AEF for the remainder of his service.

Pvt Gobey and Co. B left Hoboken, New Jersey aboard the U.S. Army Transport Ship Pocahontas on 7 September 1917.

Private Gobey was promoted to Corporal on 29 July 1918, and Sergeant on 6 August.

Sgt Gobey received the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions on 5 October near Medeah Ferme, France;

“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 Sergeant Nathan Gobey (ASN: 38409), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company B, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2d Division, A.E.F., near Medeah Ferme, France, 5 October 1918. While his company was being held up by heavy fire from an enemy machine-gun nest, Sergeant Gobey, fearlessly and in great danger to himself, succeeded in flanking the nest and putting three machine guns out of action. In the performance of this act, he was killed instantly.”

Sgt Gobey was Posthumously awarded the DSC in 1937; his mother accepted the award on his behalf;

“His name was Nathan Gobey, and he was just nineteen years old when he was killed. Now, nineteen years later, his memory has been honored by the American Government with the awarding of the Distinguished Service Cross for his heroism. Since the medal couldn’t be given to Nathan Gobey himself, it was given to his aged mother, who has been mourning him all these years.

Perhaps it consoled her a bit to know what her son did- he met a hero’s death while putting three German machine guns out of action single-handed. In any case, when Major General Frank R. McCoy of the U.S. Army called upon Mrs. Gobey in her little Bronx flat to present her with the medal, she felt that she too wanted to give the Major General something- so she gave him a portion of her tasty gefillte fish, which the Major General enjoyed so much that he expressed the hope that another medal would be awarded to Nathan Goby, so that he- the Major General- could come to see Mrs. Gobey again and taste some more of her cooking.”

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

Sgt Gobey was killed in action on 5 October 1918; he was initially buried in an isolated grave in the Saint-Étienne-à-Arnes Commune, in the Ardennes department and Grand Est region, France.

Sgt Gobey was disinterred and reburied two further times in France, first, on 3 June 1919 to Grave 8, Section 97, Plot 1, in the Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, second, on 30 September 1921 to Grave 26, Row 21, Block H, Meuse Argonne American Cemetery (maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission).

On 9 December 1921, he was disinterred for the final time and sent to the United States, arriving in New York on 20 January 1922. The current location of his burial is unknown.