It was too much for his nerves.

He threw the grenade as far as he could send it.

The lieutenant reprimanded him severely.
"What do you mean," he said, "by hurling that explosive ahead of the proper time.

Do you want the Boches to pick it up, fire it back here and blow us all to smithereens ?" "Shorty" was properly abashed.

He hung his head and responded: "Lieutenant, I begs your pardon, I didn't mean to heave it so soon, but I could actually feel that thing a swellin' in my hand." But they soon acquired the idea, and after a short time very few of the grenades reached the enemy either ahead of or behind time.
Here is the valiant and humorous story of Elmer McCowin, 669 Lenox Avenue, New York City, a private in Company K, 369th infantry, and how he won the Distinguished Service Cross.