Royal Johnson.

This is coolbert:

Never heard of this man before!

A SERVING CONGRESSMAN VOTING AGAINST AMERICAN PARTICIPATION IN THE GREAT WAR BUT THEN  ENLISTING WITH THE RANK OF PRIVATE AND PARTICIPATING IN COMBAT ACTION!!

Thanks to Jungle Trader for the tip!

"Royal Cleaves Johnson . . . was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from South Dakota and a highly decorated veteran of World War I."

. . . .

"In 1918, even though he [Johnson] had on April 5, 1917, voted against declaring war on Germany, he absented himself from the Congress and enlisted in the United States Army to fight in World War I. He served in the 313th Infantry Regiment as a private, sergeant, second lieutenant, and first lieutenant. In Montfaucon, France, on the 26th and 27 September 1918, he was involved in a combat situation wherein he repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire and was wounded by an exploding shell."

CONGRESSMEN AND SENATORS WOULD BE LOATHE TO DO THE SAME TODAY?

The first name that comes to mind when reading of Congressman Johnson is Paul Douglas of Illinois. At age fifty enlisting in the Marine Corps and serving in combat during World War Two. Douglas prior to enlisting as a private [again, at age fifty] at that exact moment a member of the Chicago City Council and subsequent to the end of the war a United States Senator.

Persons such as Johnson and Douglas we can greatly admire, setting aside all political considerations as to party affiliation.

Read prior blog entries regarding Paul Douglas:

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2011/04/paul-douglas-usmc.html

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2011/04/douglas.html

coolbert.