
World War I
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DKINSON, JOSEPH B.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company
C, 119th Infantry, 30th Division. Place and date:
Near Bellicourt, France, 29 September 1918. Entered
service at: Memphis, Tenn. Born: 4 January 1892,
Egypt, Tenn. G.O. No.: 59, W.D., 1919. Citation:
When murderous machinegun fire at a range of 50
yards had made it impossible for his platoon to
advance, and had caused the platoon to take cover
Sgt. Adkinson alone, with the greatest intrepidity,
rushed across the 50 yards of open ground directly
into the face of the hostile machinegun kicked the
gun from the parapet into the enemy trench, and at
the point of the bayonet captured the 3 men manning
the gun. The gallantry and quick decision of this
soldier enabled the platoon to resume its advance.
ALLEX, JAKE
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army, Company
H, 131st Infantry, 33d Division. Place and date: At
Chipilly Ridge, France, 9 August 1918. Entered
service at: Chicago, Ill. Born: 13 July 1887,
Prizren, Serbia. G.O. No.: 44, W.D., 1919. Citation:
At a critical point in the action, when all the
officers with his platoon had become casualties,
Cpl. Allex took command of the platoon and led it
forward until the advance was stopped by fire from a
machinegun nest. He then advanced alone for about 30
yards in the face of intense fire and attacked the
nest. With his bayonet he killed 5 of the enemy, and
when it was broken, used the butt of his rifle,
capturing 15 prisoners.
ALLWORTH, EDWARD C.
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Army, 60th
Infantry, 5th Division. Place and date: At
Clery-le-Petit, France, 5 November 1918. Entered
service at: Corvallis, Oreg. Born: 6 July 1887,
Crawford, Wash. G.O. No.: 16, W.D., 1919. Citation:
While his company was crossing the Meuse River and
canal at a bridgehead opposite Clery-le-Petit, the
bridge over the canal was destroyed by shell fire
and Capt. Allworth's command became separated, part
of it being on the east bank of the canal and the
remainder on the west bank. Seeing his advance units
making slow headway up the steep slope ahead, this
officer mounted the canal bank and called for his
men to follow. Plunging in he swam across the canal
under fire from the enemy, followed by his men.
Inspiring his men by his example of gallantry, he
led them up the slope, joining his hard-pressed
platoons in front. By his personal leadership he
forced the enemy back for more than a kilometer,
overcoming machinegun nests and capturing 100
prisoners, whose number exceeded that of the men in
his command. The exceptional courage and leadership
displayed by Capt. Allworth made possible the
re-establishment of a bridgehead over the canal and
the successful advance of other troops.
ANDERSON, JOHANNES S.
Rank and organization: First Sergeant, U.S. Army,
Company B, 132d Infantry, 33d Division. Place and
date: At Consenvoye, France, 8 October 1918. Entered
service at: Chicago, Ill. Birth: Finland. G.O. No.:
16, W.D., 1919. Citation: While his company was
being held up by intense artillery and machinegun
fire, 1st Sgt. Anderson, without aid, voluntarily
left the company and worked his way to the rear of
the nest that was offering the most stubborn
resistance. His advance was made through an open
area and under constant hostile fire, but the
mission was successfully accomplished, and he not
only silenced the gun and captured it, but also
brought back with him 23 prisoners.
*BAESEL, ALBERT E.
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army,
148th Infantry, 37th Division. Place and date: Near
Ivoiry, France, 27 September 1918. Entered service
at: Berea, Ohio. Born: 1892, Berea, Ohio. G.O. No.:
43, W.D., 1922. Citation: Upon hearing that a squad
leader of his platoon had been severely wounded
while attempting to capture an enemy machinegun nest
about 200 yards in advance of the assault line and
somewhat to the right, 2d Lt. Baesel requested
permission to go to the rescue of the wounded
corporal. After thrice repeating his request and
permission having been reluctantly given, due to the
heavy artillery, rifle, and machinegun fire, and
heavy deluge of gas in which the company was at the
time, accompanied by a volunteer, he worked his way
forward, and reaching the wounded man, placed him
upon his shoulders and was instantly killed by enemy
fire.
BALCH, JOHN HENRY
Rank and organization: Pharmacist's Mate First
Class, U.S. Navy. Place and date: Vierzy, France,
and Somme-Py, France, 19 July and 5 October 1918.
Entered service at: Kansas City, Mo. Born: 2 January
1896, Edgerton, Kans. Citation: For gallantry and
intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond
the call of duty, with the 6th Regiment, U.S.
Marines, in action at Vierzy, on 19 July 1918. Balch
unhesitatingly and fearlessly exposed himself to
terrific machinegun and high-explosive fire to
succor the wounded as they fell in the attack,
leaving his dressing station voluntarily and keeping
up the work all day and late into the night
unceasingly for 16 hours. Also in the action at
Somme-Py on 5 October 1918, he exhibited exceptional
bravery in establishing an advanced dressing station
under heavy shellfire.
BARGER, CHARLES D.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S.
Army, Company L, 354th Infantry, 89th Division.
Place and date: Near Bois-deBantheville, France, 31
October 1918. Entered service at: Stotts City, Mo.
Birth: Mount Vernon, Mo. G.O. No.: 20, W.D., 1919.
Citation: Learning that 2 daylight patrols had been
caught out in No Man's Land and were unable to
return, Pfc. Barger and another stretcher bearer
upon their own initiative made 2 trips 500 yards
beyond our lines, under constant machinegun fire,
and rescued 2 wounded officers.
*BARKELEY, DAVID B.
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company
A, 356th Infantry, 89th Division. Place and date:
Near Pouilly, France, 9 November 1918. Entered
service at: San Antonio, Tex. Birth: Laredo, Tex.
G.O. No.: 20, W.D., 1919. Citation: When information
was desired as to the enemy's position on the
opposite side of the Meuse River, Pvt. Barkeley,
with another soldier, volunteered without hesitation
and swam the river to reconnoiter the exact
location. He succeeded in reaching the opposite
bank, despite the evident determination of the enemy
to prevent a crossing. Having obtained his
information, he again entered the water for his
return, but before his goal was reached, he was
seized with cramps and drowned.
BARKLEY, JOHN L.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S.
Army, Company K, 4th Infantry, 3d Division. Place
and date: Near Cunel, France, 7 October 1918.
Entered service at: Blairstown, Mo. Born: 28 August
1895 Blairstown, Mo. G.O. No.: 44, W.D., 1919.
Citation: Pfc. Barkley, who was stationed in an
observation post half a kilometer from the German
line, on his own initiative repaired a captured
enemy machinegun and mounted it in a disabled French
tank near his post. Shortly afterward, when the
enemy launched a counterattack against our forces,
Pfc. Barkley got into the tank, waited under the
hostile barrage until the enemy line was abreast of
him and then opened fire, completely breaking up the
counterattack and killing and wounding a large
number of the enemy. Five minutes later an enemy
77-millimeter gun opened fire on the tank
pointblank. One shell struck the drive wheel of the
tank, but this soldier nevertheless remained in the
tank and after the barrage ceased broke up a second
enemy counterattack, thereby enabling our forces to
gain and hold Hill 25.
BART, FRANK J.
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company
C, 9th Infantry, 2d Division. Place and date: Near
Medeah Ferme, France, 3 October 1918. Entered
service at: Newark, N.J. Birth: New York, N.Y. G.O.
No.: 16, W.D., 1919. Citation: Pvt. Bart, being on
duty as a company runner, when the advance was held
up by machinegun fire voluntarily picked up an
automatic rifle, ran out ahead of the line, and
silenced a hostile machinegun nest, killing the
German gunners. The advance then continued, and when
it was again hindered shortly afterward by another
machinegun nest this courageous soldier repeated his
bold exploit by putting the second machinegun out of
action.
*BLACKWELL, ROBERT L.
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company
K, 119th Infantry, 30th Division. Place and date:
Near St. Souplet, France, 11 October 1918. Entered
service at: Hurdle Mills, N.C. Birth: Person County,
N.C. G.O. No.: 13, W.D., 1919. Citation: When his
platoon was almost surrounded by the enemy and his
platoon commander asked for volunteers to carry a
message calling for reinforcements, Pvt. Blackwell
volunteered for this mission, well knowing the
extreme danger connected with it. In attempting to
get through the heavy shell and machinegun fire this
gallant soldier was killed.
*BLECKLEY, ERWIN R. (Air Mission)
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army
Air Corps, 130th Field Artillery, observer 50th Aero
Squadron, Air Service. Place and date. Near
Binarville, France, 6 October 1918. Entered service
at: Wichita, Kans. Birth: Wichita, Kans. G.O. No.:
56, W.D., 1922. Citation: 2d Lt. Bleckley, with his
pilot, 1st Lt. Harold E. Goettler, Air Service, left
the airdrome late in the afternoon on their second
trip to drop supplies to a battalion of the 77th
Division, which had been cut off by the enemy in the
Argonne Forest. Having been subjected on the first
trip to violent fire from the enemy, they attempted
on the second trip to come still lower in order to
get the packages even more precisely on the
designated spot. In the course of his mission the
plane was brought down by enemy rifle and machinegun
fire from the ground, resulting in fatal wounds to
2d Lt. Bleckley, who died before he could be taken
to a hospital. In attempting and performing this
mission 2d Lt. Bleckley showed the highest possible
contempt of personal danger, devotion to duty,
courage, and valor.
BOONE, JOEL THOMPSON
Rank and organization: Lieutenant (Medical Corps),
U.S. Navy. Place and date: Vicinity Vierzy, France,
19 July 1918. Entered service at: St. Clair, Pa.
Born: 2 August 1889, St. Clair, Pa. Citation: For
extraordinary heroism, conspicuous gallantry, and
intrepidity while serving with the 6th Regiment,
U.S. Marines, in actual conflict with the enemy.
With absolute disregard for personal safety, ever
conscious and mindful of the suffering fallen, Surg.
Boone, leaving the shelter of a ravine, went forward
onto the open field where there was no protection
and despite the extreme enemy fire of all calibers,
through a heavy mist of gas, applied dressings and
first aid to wounded marines. This occurred
southeast of Vierzy, near the cemetery, and on the
road south from that town. When the dressings and
supplies had been exhausted, he went through a heavy
barrage of large-caliber shells, both high explosive
and gas, to replenish these supplies, returning
quickly with a sidecar load, and administered them
in saving the lives of the wounded. A second trip,
under the same conditions and for the same purpose,
was made by Surg. Boone later that day.
BRADLEY, WILLIS WINTER, JR.
Rank and organization: Commander, U.S. Navy. Born:
28 June 1884, Ransomville, N.Y. Appointed from:
North Dakota. Citation: For extraordinary heroism
and devotion to duty while serving on the U.S.S.
Pittsburgh, at the time of an accidental explosion
of ammunition on that vessel. On 23 July 1917, some
saluting cartridge cases were being reloaded in the
after casemate: through an accident an explosion
occurred. Comdr. Bradley (then Lieutenant), who was
about to enter the casemate, was blown back by the
explosion and rendered momentarily unconscious, but
while still dazed, crawled into the casemate to
extinguish burning materials in dangerous proximity
to a considerable amount of powder, thus preventing
further explosions.
BRONSON, DEMING
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army,
Company H, 364th Infantry, 91st Division. Place and
date: Near Eclisfontaine, France, 26-27 September
1918. Entered service at: Seattle, Wash. Born: 8
July 1894, Rhinelander, Wis. G.O. No.: 12 W.D.,
1929. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and
intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in
action with the enemy. On the morning of 26
September, during the advance of the 364th Infantry,
1st Lt. Bronson was struck by an exploding enemy
handgrenade, receiving deep cuts on his face and the
back of his head. He nevertheless participated in
the action which resulted in the capture of an enemy
dugout from which a great number of prisoners were
taken. This was effected with difficulty and under
extremely hazardous conditions because it was
necessary to advance without the advantage of cover
and, from an exposed position, throw handgrenades
and phosphorous bombs to compel the enemy to
surrender. On the afternoon of the same day he was
painfully wounded in the left arm by an enemy rifle
bullet, and after receiving first aid treatment he
was directed to the rear. Disregarding these
instructions, 1st Lt. Bronson remained on duty with
his company through the night although suffering
from severe pain and shock. On the morning of 27
September, his regiment resumed its attack, the
object being the village of Eclisfontaine. Company
H, to which 1st Lt. Bronson was assigned, was left
in support of the attacking line, Company E being in
the line. He gallantly joined that company in spite
of his wounds and engaged with it in the capture of
the village. After the capture he remained with
Company E and participated with it in the capture of
an enemy machinegun, he himself killing the enemy
gunner. Shortly after this encounter the company was
compelled to retire due to the heavy enemy artillery
barrage. During this retirement 1st Lt. Bronson, who
was the last man to leave the advanced position, was
again wounded in both arms by an enemy
high-explosive shell. He was then assisted to cover
by another officer who applied first aid. Although
bleeding profusely and faint from the loss of blood,
1st Lt. Bronson remained with the survivors of the
company throughout the night of the second day,
refusing to go to the rear for treatment. His
conspicuous gallantry and spirit of self-sacrifice
were a source of great inspiration to the members of
the entire command.
CALL, DONALD M.
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army, 344th
Battalion, Tank Corps. Place and date: Near
Varennes, France, 26 September 1918. Entered service
at: France. Born: 29 November 1892, New York, N.Y.
G.O. No.: 13, W.D., 1919. Citation: During an
operation against enemy machinegun nests west of
Varennes, Cpl. Call was in a tank with an officer
when half of the turret was knocked off by a direct
artillery hit. Choked by gas from the high-explosive
shell, he left the tank and took cover in a
shellhole 30 yards away. Seeing that the officer did
not follow, and thinking that he might be alive,
Cpl. Call returned to the tank under intense
machinegun and shell fire and carried the officer
over a mile under machinegun and sniper fire to
safety.
CANN, TEDFORD H.
Rank and organization: Seaman, U.S. Navy. Born: 3
September 1897, Bridgeport, Conn. Accredited to: New
York. G.O. No.: 366, 1918. Citation: For courageous
conduct while serving on board the U.S.S. May, 5
November 1917. Cann found a leak in a flooded
compartment and closed it at the peril of his life,
thereby unquestionably saving the ship.
*CHILES, MARCELLUS H.
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Army, 356th
Infantry, 89th Division. Place and date: Near Le
Champy Bas, France, 3 November 1918. Entered service
at: Denver, Colo. Birth: Eureka Springs, Ark. G.O.
No.: 20, W.D., 1919. Citation: When his battalion,
of which he had just taken command, was halted by
machinegun fire from the front and left flank, he
picked up the rifle of a dead soldier and, calling
on his men to follow led the advance across a
stream, waist deep, in the face of the machinegun
fire. Upon reaching the opposite bank this gallant
officer was seriously wounded in the abdomen by a
sniper, but before permitting himself to be
evacuated he made complete arrangements for turning
over his command to the next senior officer, and
under the inspiration of his fearless leadership his
battalion reached its objective. Capt. Chiles died
shortly after reaching the hospital.
*COLYER, WILBUR E.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company
A, 1st Engineers, 1st Division. Place and date: Near
Verdun, France, 9 October 1918. Entered service at:
South Ozone, Long Island, N.Y. Birth: Brooklyn, N.Y.
G.O. No.: 20, W.D., 1919. Citation: Volunteering
with 2 other soldiers to locate machinegun nests,
Sgt. Colyer advanced on the hostile positions to a
point where he was half surrounded by the nests,
which were in ambush. He killed the gunner of one
gun with a captured German grenade and then turned
this gun on the other nests silencing all of them
before he returned to his platoon. He was later
killed in action.
*COSTIN, HENRY G.
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company
H, 115th Infantry, 29th Division. Place and date:
Near Bois-de-Consenvoye, France, 8 October 1918.
Entered service at: Baltimore, Md. Birth: Baltimore,
Md. G.O. No.: 34, W.D., 1919. Citation: When the
advance of his platoon had been held up by
machinegun fire and a request was made for an
automatic rifle team to charge the nest, Pvt. Costin
was the first to volunteer. Advancing with his team,
under terrific fire of enemy artillery, machineguns,
and trench mortars, he continued after all his
comrades had become casualties and he himself had
been seriously wounded. He operated his rifle until
he collapsed. His act resulted in the capture of
about 100 prisoners and several machineguns. He
succumbed from the effects of his wounds shortly
after the accomplishment of his heroic deed.
COVINGTON, JESSE WHITFIELD
Rank and organization: Ship's Cook Third Class, U.S.
Navy. Place and date: At sea aboard the U.S.S.
Stewart, 17 April 1918. Entered service at:
California. Born: 16 September 1889, Haywood, Tenn.
G.O. No.: 403, 1918. Citation: For extraordinary
heroism following internal explosion of the Florence
H. The sea in the vicinity of wreckage was covered
by a mass of boxes of smokeless powder, which were
repeatedly exploding. Jesse W. Covington, of the
U.S.S. Stewart, plunged overboard to rescue a
survivor who was surrounded by powder boxes and too
exhausted to help himself, fully realizing that
similar powder boxes in the vicinity were
continually exploding and that he was thereby
risking his life in saving the life of this man.
CUKELA, LOUIS (Army Medal)
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps,
66th Company, 5th Regiment. Place and date: Near
Villers-Cotterets, France, 18 July 1918. Entered
service at: Minneapolis, Minn. Born: 1 May 1888,
Sebenes, Austria. G.O. No.: 34, W.D., 1919. (Also
received Navy Medal of Honor.) Citation: When his
company, advancing through a wood, met with strong
resistance from an enemy strong point, Sgt. Cukela
crawled out from the flank and made his way toward
the German lines in the face of heavy fire,
disregarding the warnings of his comrades. He
succeeded in getting behind the enemy position and
rushed a machinegun emplacement, killing or driving
off the crew with his bayonet. With German
handgrenades he then bombed out the remaining
portion of the strong point, capturing 4 men and 2
damaged machineguns.
CUKELA, LOUIS (Navy Medal)
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps,
66th Company, 5th Regiment. Born: 1 May 1888,
Sebenes, Austria. Accredited to: Minnesota. (Also
received Army Medal of Honor.) Citation: For
extraordinary heroism while serving with the 66th
Company, 5th Regiment, during action in the Forest
de Retz, near Viller-Cottertes, France, 18 July
1918. Sgt. Cukela advanced alone against an enemy
strong point that was holding up his line.
Disregarding the warnings of his comrades, he
crawled out from the flank in the face of heavy fire
and worked his way to the rear of the enemy
position. Rushing a machinegun emplacement, he
killed or drove off the crew with his bayonet,
bombed out the remaining part of the strong point
with German handgrenades and captured 2 machineguns
and 4 men.
*DILBOY, GEORGE
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S.
Army, Company H, 103d Infantry, 26th Division. Place
and date: Near Belleau, France, 18 July 1918.
Entered service at: Keene, N.H. Birth: Greece. G.O.
No.: 13, W.D., 1919. Citation: After his platoon had
gained its objective along a railroad embankment,
Pfc. Dilboy, accompanying his platoon leader to
reconnoiter the ground beyond, was suddenly fired
upon by an enemy machinegun from 100 yards. From a
standing position on the railroad track, fully
exposed to view, he opened fire at once, but failing
to silence the gun, rushed forward with his bayonet
fixed, through a wheat field toward the gun
emplacement, falling within 25 yards of the gun with
his right leg nearly severed above the knee and with
several bullet holes in his body. With undaunted
courage he continued to fire into the emplacement
from a prone position, killing 2 of the enemy and
dispersing the rest of the crew.
DONALDSON, MICHAEL A.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company
I, 165th Infantry, 42d Division. Place and date: At
Sommerance-Landres-et St. Georges Road, France, 14
October 1918. Entered service at: Haverstraw, N.Y.
Born: 1884, Haverstraw, N.Y. G.O. No.: 9, W.D.,
1923. Citation: The advance of his regiment having
been checked by intense machinegun fire of the
enemy, who were entrenched on the crest of a hill
before Landres-et St. Georges, his company retired
to a sunken road to reorganize their position,
leaving several of their number wounded near the
enemy lines. Of his own volition, in broad daylight
and under direct observation of the enemy and with
utter disregard for his own safety, he advanced to
the crest of the hill, rescued one of his wounded
comrades, and returned under withering fire to his
own lines, repeating his splendidly heroic act until
he had brought in all the men, 6 in number.
DONOVAN, WILLIAM JOSEPH
Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, U.S.
Army, 165th Infantry, 42d Division. Place and date:
Near Landres-et-St. Georges, France, 14-15 October
1918. Entered service at: Buffalo, N.Y. Born: 1
January 1883, Buffalo, N.Y. G.O., No.: 56, W.D.,
1922. Citation: Lt. Col. Donovan personally led the
assaulting wave in an attack upon a very strongly
organized position, and when our troops were
suffering heavy casualties he encouraged all near
him by his example, moving among his men in exposed
positions, reorganizing decimated platoons, and
accompanying them forward in attacks. When he was
wounded in the leg by machine-gun bullets, he
refused to be evacuated and continued with his unit
until it withdrew to a less exposed position.
DOZIER, JAMES C .
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army,
Company G, 118th Infantry, 30th Division. Place and
date: Near Montbrehain, France, 8 October 1918.
Entered service at: Rock Hill, S.C. Born: 17
February 1885, Galivants Ferry, N.C. G.O. No.: 16,
W.D., 1919. Citation: In command of 2 platoons, 1st.
Lt. Dozier was painfully wounded in the shoulder
early in the attack, but he continued to lead his
men displaying the highest bravery and skill. When
his command was held up by heavy machinegun fire, he
disposed his men in the best cover available and
with a soldier continued forward to attack a
machinegun nest. Creeping up to the position in the
face of intense fire, he killed the entire crew with
handgrenades and his pistol and a little later
captured a number of Germans who had taken refuge in
a dugout nearby.
*DUNN, PARKER F.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S.
Army, Company A, 312th Infantry, 78th Division.
Place and date: Near Grand-Pre, France, 23 October
1918. Entered service at: Albany, N.Y. Birth:
Albany, N.Y. G.O. No.: 49, W.D., 1922. Citation:
When his battalion commander found it necessary to
send a message to a company in the attacking line
and hesitated to order a runner to make the trip
because of the extreme danger involved, Pfc. Dunn, a
member of the intelligence section, volunteered for
the mission. After advancing but a short distance
across a field swept by artillery and machinegun
fire, he was wounded, but continued on and fell
wounded a second time. Still undaunted, he
persistently attempted to carry out his mission
until he was killed by a machinegun bullet before
reaching the advance line.
EDWARDS, DANIEL R.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S.
Army, Company C, 3d Machine Gun Battalion, 1st
Division. Place and date: Near Soissons, France, 18
July 1918. Entered service at: Bruceville, Tex.
Born: 9 April 1897, Moorville, Tex. G.O. No.: 14,
W.D., 1923. Citation: Reporting for duty from
hospital where he had been for several weeks under
treatment for numerous and serious wounds and
although suffering intense pain from a shattered
arm, he crawled alone into an enemy trench for the
purpose of capturing or killing enemy soldiers known
to be concealed therein. He killed 4 of the men and
took the remaining 4 men prisoners; while conducting
them to the rear one of the enemy was killed by a
high explosive enemy shell which also completely
shattered 1 of Pfc. Edwards' legs, causing him to be
immediately evacuated to the hospital. The bravery
of Pfc. Edwards, now a tradition in his battalion
because of his previous gallant acts, again caused
the morale of his comrades to be raised to high
pitch.
EGGERS, ALAN LOUIS
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Machine
Gun Company, 107th Infantry, 27th Division. Place
and date: Near Le Catelet, France, 29 September
1918. Entered service at: Summit, N.J. Birth:
Saranac Lake, N.Y. G.O. No.: 20, W.D., 1919.
Citation: Becoming separated from their platoon by a
smoke barrage, Sgt. Eggers, Sgt. John C. Latham and
Cpl. Thomas E. O'Shea took cover in a shell hole
well within the enemy's lines. Upon hearing a call
for help from an American tank, which had become
disabled 30 yards from them, the 3 soldiers left
their shelter and started toward the tank, under
heavy fire from German machineguns and trench
mortars. In crossing the fire-swept area Cpl. O'Shea
was mortally wounded, but his companions,
undeterred, proceeded to the tank, rescued a wounded
officer, and assisted 2 wounded soldiers to cover in
a sap of a nearby trench. Sgt. Eggers and Sgt.
Latham then returned to the tank in the face of the
violent fire, dismounted a Hotchkiss gun, and took
it back to where the wounded men were, keeping off
the enemy all day by effective use of the gun and
later bringing it, with the wounded men, back to our
lines under cover of darkness.
ELLIS, MICHAEL B.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company
C, 28th Infantry, 1st Division. Place and date: Near
Exermont, France, 5 October 1918. Entered service
at: East St. Louis, Ill. Born: 28 October 1894, St.
Louis, Mo. G.O. No.: 74, W.D., 1919. Citation:
During the entire day's engagement he operated far
in advance of the first wave of his company,
voluntarily undertaking most dangerous missions and
single-handedly attacking and reducing machinegun
nests. Flanking one emplacement, he killed 2 of the
enemy with rifle fire and captured 17 others. Later
he single-handedly advanced under heavy fire and
captured 27 prisoners, including 2 officers and 6
machineguns, which had been holding up the advance
of the company. The captured officers indicated the
locations of 4 other machineguns, and he in turn
captured these, together with their crews, at all
times showing marked heroism and fearlessness.
FORREST, ARTHUR J.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company
D, 354th Infantry, 89th Division. Place and date:
Near Remonville, France, 1 November 1918. Entered
service at: Hannibal, Mo . Birth: St. Louis, Mo.
G.O. No.: 50, W.D., 1919. Citation: When the advance
of his company was stopped by bursts of fire from a
nest of 6 enemy machineguns, without being
discovered, he worked his way single-handed to a
point within 50 yards of the machinegun nest.
Charging, single-handed, he drove out the enemy in
disorder, thereby protecting the advance platoon
from annihilating fire, and permitting the
resumption of the advance of his company.
FOSTER, GARY EVANS
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company
F, 118th Infantry, 30th Division. Place and date:
Near Montbrehain, France, 8 October 1918. Entered
service at: Inman, S.C. Birth: Spartanburg, S.C.
G.O. No.: 16, W.D., 1919. Citation: When his company
was held up by violent machinegun fire from a sunken
road, Sgt. Foster with an officer went forward to
attack the hostile machinegun nests. The officer was
wounded, but Sgt. Foster continued on alone in the
face of the heavy fire and by effective use of
handgrenades and his pistol killed several of the
enemy and captured 18.
FUNK, JESSE N.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S.
Army, Company L, 354th Infantry, 89th Division.
Place and date: Near Bois-deBantheville, France, 31
October 1918. Entered service at. Calhan, Colo.
Born: 20 August 1888, New Hampton, Mo. G.O. No.: 20,
W.D., 1919. Citation: Learning that 2 daylight
patrols had been caught out in No Man's Land and
were unable to return, Pfc. Funk and another
stretcher bearer, upon their own initiative, made 2
trips 500 yards beyond our lines, under constant
machinegun fire, and rescued 2 wounded officers.
FURLONG, HAROLD A.
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army,
353d Infantry, 89th Division. Place and date: Near
Bantheville, France, 1 November 1918. Entered
service at: Detroit, Mich. Birth: Pontiac, Mich.
G.O. No.: 16, W.D., 1919. Citation: Immediately
after the opening of the attack in the
Bois-de-Bantheville, when his company was held up by
severe machinegun fire from the front, which killed
his company commander and several soldiers, 1st. Lt.
Furlong moved out in advance of the line with great
courage and coolness, crossing an open space several
hundred yards wide. Taking up a position behind the
line of the machineguns, he closed in on them, one
at a time, killing a number of the enemy with his
rifle, putting 4 machinegun nests out of action, and
driving 20 German prisoners into our lines.
GAFFNEY, FRANK
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S.
Army, Company G, 108th Infantry, 27th Division.
Place and date: Near Ronssoy, France, 29 September
1918. Entered service at: Niagara Falls, N.Y. Birth:
Buffalo, N.Y. G.O. No.: 20, W.D., 1919. Citation:
Pfc. Gaffney, an automatic rifleman, pushing forward
alone, after all the other members of his squad had
been killed, discovered several Germans placing a
heavy machinegun in position. He killed the crew,
captured the gun, bombed several dugouts, and, after
killing 4 more of the enemy with his pistol, held
the position until reinforcements came up, when 80
prisoners were captured.
*GOETTLER, HAROLD ERNEST (Air Mission)
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, pilot, U.S.
Army Air Corps, 50th Aero Squadron, Air Service.
Place and date: Near Binarville, France, 6 October
1918. Entered service at: Chicago, Ill. Born: 21
July 1890, Chicago, Ill. G.O. No.: 56, W.D., 1922.
Citation: 1st. Lt. Goettler, with his observer, 2d
Lt. Erwin R. Bleckley, 130th Field Artillery, left
the airdrome late in the afternoon on their second
trip to drop supplies to a battalion of the 77th
Division which had been cut off by the enemy in the
Argonne Forest. Having been subjected on the first
trip to violent fire from the enemy, they attempted
on the second trip to come still lower in order to
get the packages even more precisely on the
designated spot. In the course of this mission the
plane was brought down by enemy rifle and machinegun
fire from the ground, resulting in the instant death
of 1st. Lt. Goettler. In attempting and performing
this mission 1st. Lt. Goettler showed the highest
possible contempt of personal danger, devotion to
duty, courage and valor.
GRAVES, ORA
Rank and organization: Seaman, U.S. Navy. Born: 26
July 1896, Los Animas, Colo. Accredited to:
Nebraska. G.O. No.: 366, 1918. Citation: For
extraordinary heroism on 23 July 1917, while the
U.S.S. Pittsburgh was proceeding to Buenos Aires,
Argentina. A 3-inch saluting charge exploded,
causing the death of C. T. Lyles, seaman. Upon the
explosion, Graves was blown to the deck, but soon
recovered and discovered burning waste on the deck.
He put out the burning waste while the casemate was
filled with clouds of smoke, knowing that there was
more powder there which might explode.
GREGORY, EARL D.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army,
Headquarters Company, 116th Infantry, 29th Division.
Place and date: At Bois-de-Consenvoye, north of
Verdun, France, 8 October 1918. Entered service at:
Chase City, Va. Birth: Chase City, Va. G.O. No.: 34,
W.D., 1919. Citation: With the remark "I will get
them," Sgt. Gregory seized a rifle and a
trench-mortar shell, which he used as a handgrenade,
left his detachment of the trench-mortar platoon,
and advancing ahead of the infantry, captured a
machinegun and 3 of the enemy. Advancing still
farther from the machinegun nest, he captured a
7.5-centimeter mountain howitzer and, entering a
dugout in the immediate vicinity, single-handedly
captured 19 of the enemy.
GUMPERTZ, SYDNEY G.
Rank and organization: First Sergeant, U.S. Army,
Company E, 132d Infantry, 33d Division. Place and
date: In the Bois-de-Forges, France, 29 September
1918. Entered service at: Chicago, Ill. Born: 24
October 1879, San Raphael, Calif. G.O. No.: 16,
W.D., 1919. Citation: When the advancing line was
held up by machinegun fire, 1st Sgt. Gumpertz left
the platoon of which he was in command and started
with 2 other soldiers through a heavy barrage toward
the machinegun nest. His 2 companions soon became
casualties from bursting shells, but 1st Sgt.
Gumpertz continued on alone in the face of direct
fire from the machinegun, jumped into the nest and
silenced the gun, capturing 9 of the crew.
*HALL, THOMAS LEE
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company
G, 118th Infantry, 30th Division. Place and date.
Near Montbrehain, France, 8 October 1918. Entered
service at: Fort Mill, S.C. Birth: Fort Mill, S.C.,
G.O. No.: 50, W.D., 1919. Citation: Having overcome
2 machinegun nests under his skillful leadership,
Sgt. Hall's platoon was stopped 800 yards from its
final objective by machinegun fire of particular
intensity. Ordering his men to take cover in a
sunken road, he advanced alone on the enemy
machinegun post and killed 5 members of the crew
with his bayonet and thereby made possible the
further advance of the line. While attacking another
machinegun nest later in the day this gallant
soldier was mortally wounded.
HAMMANN, CHARLES HAZELTINE
Rank and organization: Ensign, U.S. Naval Reserve
Fleet. Born: 16 March 1892, Baltimore, Md. Appointed
from: Maryland. Citation: For extraordinary heroism
as a pilot of a seaplane on 21 August 1918, when
with 3 other planes Ens. Hammann took part in a
patrol and attacked a superior force of enemy land
planes. In the course of the engagement which
followed the plane of Ens. George M. Ludlow was shot
down and fell in the water 5 miles off Pola. Ens.
Hammann immediately dived down and landed on the
water close alongside the disabled machine, where he
took Ludlow on board. Although his machine was not
designed for the double load to which it was
subjected, and although there was danger of attack
by Austrian planes, he made his way to Porto
Corsini.
HATLER, M. WALDO
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company
B, 356th Infantry, 89th Division. Place and date:
Near Pouilly, France, 8 November 1918. Entered
service at: Neosho, Mo. Born: 6 January 1894,
Bolivar, Mo. G.O. No.: 74, W.D., 1919. Citation:
When volunteers were called for to secure
information as to the enemy's position on the
opposite bank of the Meuse River, Sgt. Hatler was
the first to offer his services for this dangerous
mission. Swimming across the river, he succeeded in
reaching the German lines, after another soldier,
who had started with him, had been seized with
cramps and drowned in midstream. Alone he carefully
and courageously reconnoitered the enemy's
positions, which were held in force, and again
successfully swam the river, bringing back
information of great value.
HAYDEN, DAVID E.
Rank and organization: Hospital Apprentice First
Class, U.S. Navy, serving with the 2d Battalion, 6th
Regiment, U.S. Marines. Place and date: Thiaucourt,
France, 15 September 1918. Entered service at:
Texas. Born: 2 October 1897 Florence, Tex. Citation:
For gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his
life above and beyond the call of duty. During the
advance, when Cpl. Creed was mortally wounded while
crossing an open field swept by machinegun fire,
Hayden unhesitatingly ran to his assistance and,
finding him so severely wounded as to require
immediate attention, disregarded his own personal
safety to dress the wound under intense machinegun
fire, and then carried the wounded man back to a
place of safety.
HAYS, GEORGE PRICE
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army
10th Field Artillery, 3d Division. Place and date:
Near Greves Farm, France, 14-15 July 1918. Entered
service at: Okarche, Oklahoma. Born: 27 September
1892, China. G.O. No.: 34, W.D., 1919. Citation: At
the very outset of the unprecedented artillery
bombardment by the enemy, his line of communication
was destroyed beyond repair. Despite the hazard
attached to the mission of runner, he immediately
set out to establish contact with the neighboring
post of command and further establish liaison with 2
French batteries, visiting their position so
frequently that he was mainly responsible for the
accurate fire therefrom. While thus engaged, 7
horses were shot under him and he was severely
wounded. His activity under most severe fire was an
important factor in checking the advance of the
enemy.
*HERIOT, JAMES D.
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army, Company
I, 118th Infantry, 30th Division. Place and date: At
Vaux-Andigny, France, 12 October 1918. Entered
service at: Providence, S.C. Birth: Providence, S.C.
G.O. No.: 13, W.D., 1919. Citation: Cpl. Heriot,
with 4 other soldiers, organized a combat group and
attacked an enemy machine-gun nest which had been
inflicting heavy casualties on his company. In the
advance 2 of his men were killed, and because of the
heavy fire from all sides the remaining 2 sought
shelter. Unmindful of the hazard attached to his
mission, Cpl. Heriot, with fixed bayonet, alone
charged the machinegun, making his way through the
fire for a distance of 30 yards and forcing the
enemy to surrender. During this exploit he received
several wounds in the arm, and later in the same
day, while charging another nest, he was killed.
HILL, RALYN M.
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army, Company
H, 129th Infantry, 33d Division. Place and date:
Near Donnevoux, France, 7 October 1918. Entered
service at: Oregon, Ill. Born: 6 May 1899,
Lindenwood, Ill. G.O. No.: 34, W.D., 1919. Citation:
Seeing a French airplane fall out of control on the
enemy side of the Meuse River with its pilot
injured, Cpl. Hill voluntarily dashed across the
footbridge to the side of the wounded man and,
taking him on his back, started back to his lines.
During the entire exploit he was subjected to
murderous fire of enemy machineguns and artillery,
but he successfully accomplished his mission and
brought his man to a place of safety, a distance of
several hundred yards.
HILTON, RICHMOND H.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company
M, 118th Infantry, 30th Division. Place and date: At
Brancourt, France, 11 October 1918. Entered service
at: Westville, S.C. Born: 8 October 1898, Westville,
S.C. G.O. No.: 16, W.D., 1919. Citation: While Sgt.
Hilton's company was advancing through the village
of Brancourt it was held up by intense enfilading
fire from a machinegun. Discovering that this fire
came from a machinegun nest among shell holes at the
edge of the town, Sgt. Hilton, accompanied by a few
other soldiers, but well in advance of them, pressed
on toward this position, firing with his rifle until
his ammunition was exhausted, and then with his
pistol, killing 6 of the enemy and capturing 10. In
the course of this daring exploit he received a
wound from a bursting shell, which resulted in the
loss of his arm.
HOFFMAN, CHARLES F. (Army Medal)
Rank and organization: Gunnery Sergeant, U.S. Marine
Corps, 49th Company, 5th Regiment, 2d Division,
(Name changed to Ernest August Janson, see p. 444. )
Place and date: Near Chateau-Thierry, France, 6 June
1918. Entered service at: Brooklyn, N.Y. Born. 17
August 1878, New York, N.Y. G.O. No.: 34, W.D.,
1919. (Also received Navy Medal of Honor. )
Citation: Immediately after the company to which he
belonged had reached its objective on Hill 142,
several hostile counterattacks were launched against
the line before the new position had been
consolidated. G/Sgt. Hoffman was attempting to
organize a position on the north slope of the hill
when he saw 12 of the enemy, armed with 5 light
machineguns, crawling toward his group. Giving the
alarm, he rushed the hostile detachment, bayoneted
the 2 leaders, and forced the others to flee,
abandoning their guns. His quick action, initiative,
and courage drove the enemy from a position from
which they could have swept the hill with machinegun
fire and forced the withdrawal of our troops.
HOLDERMAN, NELSON M.
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Army, 307th
Infantry, 77th Division. Place and date: Northeast
of Binarville, in the forest of Argonne, France, 2-8
October 1918. Entered service at: Santa Ana, Calif.
Birth: Trumbell, Nebr. G.O. No.: 11, W.D., 1921.
Citation: Capt. Holderman commanded a company of a
battalion which was cut off and surrounded by the
enemy. He was wounded on 4, 5, and 7 October, but
throughout the entire period, suffering great pain
and subjected to fire of every character, he
continued personally to lead and encourage the
officers and men under his command with unflinching
courage and with distinguished success. On 6
October, in a wounded condition, he rushed through
enemy machinegun and shell fire and carried 2
wounded men to a place of safety.
*INGRAM, OSMOND K.
Rank and organization: Gunner's Mate First Class,
U.S. Navy. Born: 4 August 1887, Alabama. Accredited
to. Alabama. Citation: For extraordinary heroism in
the presence of the enemy on the occasion of the
torpedoing of the Cassin, on 15 October 1917. While
the Cassin was searching for the submarine, Ingram
sighted the torpedo coming, and realizing that it
might strike the ship aft in the vicinity of the
depth charges, ran aft with the intention of
releasing the depth charges before the torpedo could
reach the Cassin. The torpedo struck the ship before
he could accomplish his purpose and Ingram was
killed by the explosion. The depth charges exploded
immediately afterward. His life was sacrificed in an
attempt to save the ship and his shipmates, as the
damage to the ship would have been much less if he
had been able to release the depth charges.
IZAC, EDOUARD VICTOR MICHEL
Rank and organization: Lieutenant, U.S. Navy. Place
and date: Aboard German submarine U-90 as prisoner
of war, 21 May 1918. Entered service at: Illinois.
Born: 18 December 1891, Cresco, Howard County, Iowa.
Citation: When the U.S.S. President Lincoln was
attacked and sunk by the German submarine U-90, on
21 May 1918, Lt. Izac was captured and held as a
prisoner on board the U-90 until the return of the
submarine to Germany, when he was confined in the
prison camp. During his stay on the U-90 he obtained
information of the movements of German submarines
which was so important that he determined to escape,
with a view to making this information available to
the U.S. and Allied Naval authorities. In attempting
to carry out this plan, he jumped through the window
of a rapidly moving train at the imminent risk of
death, not only from the nature of the act itself
but from the fire of the armed German soldiers who
were guarding him. Having been recaptured and
reconfined, Lt. Izac made a second and successful
attempt to escape, breaking his way through
barbed-wire fences and deliberately drawing the fire
of the armed guards in the hope of permitting others
to escape during the confusion. He made his way
through the mountains of southwestern Germany,
having only raw vegetables for food, and at the end,
swam the River Rhine during the night in the
immediate vicinity of German sentries.
JANSON, ERNEST AUGUST (Navy Medal)
Rank and organization: Gunnery Sergeant, U.S. Marine
Corps, 49th Company. (Served under name of Charles
F. Hoffman) Born: 17 August 1878, New York, N.Y.
Accredited to: New York. (Also received Army Medal
of Honor.) Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and
intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in
action with the enemy near Chateau-Thierry, France,
6 June 1918. Immediately after the company to which
G/Sgt. Janson belonged, had reached its objective on
Hill 142, several hostile counterattacks were
launched against the line before the new position
had been consolidated. G/Sgt. Janson was attempting
to organize a position on the north slope of the
hill when he saw 12 of the enemy, armed with 5 light
machineguns, crawling toward his group. Giving the
alarm, he rushed the hostile detachment, bayoneted
the 2 leaders, and forced the others to flee,
abandoning their guns. His quick action, initiative
and courage drove the enemy from a position from
which they could have swept the hill with machinegun
fire and forced the withdrawal of our troops.
JOHNSTON, HAROLD I.
Rank and organization: Sergeant (then Private First
Class), U.S. Army, Company A, 356th Infantry, 89th
Division. Place and date: Near Pouilly, France, 9
November 1918. Entered service at: Chicago, Ill.
Birth: Kendell, Kans. C O. No.: 20, W.D., 1919.
Citation: When information was desired as to the
enemy's position on the opposite side of the Meuse
River, Sgt. Johnston, with another soldier,
volunteered without hesitation and swam the river to
reconnoiter the exact location of the enemy. He
succeeded in reaching the opposite bank, despite the
evident determination of the enemy to prevent a
crossing. Having obtained his information, he again
entered the water for his return. This was
accomplished after a severe struggle which so
exhausted him that he had to be assisted from the
water, after which he rendered his report of the
exploit.
KARNES, JAMES E.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company
D, 117th Infantry, 30th Division. Place and date:
Near Estrees, France, 8 October 1918. Entered
service at: Knoxville, Tenn. Born: 1889, Arlington,
Tenn. G.O. No.: 50, W.D., 1919. Citation: During an
advance, his company was held up by a machinegun,
which was enfilading the line. Accompanied by
another soldier, he advanced against this position
and succeeded in reducing the nest by killing 3 and
capturing 7 of the enemy and their guns.
KATZ, PHILLIP C.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company
C, 363d Infantry, 91st Division. Place and date:
Near Eclisfontaine, France, 26 September 1918.
Entered service at: San Francisco, Calif. Birth: San
Francisco, Calif. G.O. No.: 16, W.D., 1919.
Citation: After his company had withdrawn for a
distance of 200 yards on a line with the units on
its flanks, Sgt. Katz learned that one of his
comrades had been left wounded in an exposed
position at the point from which the withdrawal had
taken place. Voluntarily crossing an area swept by
heavy machinegun fire, he advanced to where the
wounded soldier lay and carried him to a place of
safety.
KAUFMAN, BENJAMIN
Rank and organization: First Sergeant, U.S. Army,
Company K, 308th Infantry, 77th Division. Place and
date: In the forest of Argonne, France, 4 October
1918. Entered service at: Brooklyn, N.Y. Born: 10
March 1894, Buffalo, N.Y. G.O. No.: 50, W.D., 1919.
Citation: He took out a patrol for the purpose of
attacking an enemy machinegun which had checked the
advance of his company. Before reaching the gun he
became separated from his patrol and a machinegun
bullet shattered his right arm. Without hesitation
he advanced on the gun alone, throwing grenades with
his left hand and charging with an empty pistol,
taking one prisoner and scattering the crew,
bringing the gun and prisoner back to the first-aid
station.
KELLY, JOHN JOSEPH (Army Medal)
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Marine Corps,
78th Company, 6th Regiment, 2d Division. Place and
date: At Blanc Mont Ridge, France, 3 October 1918.
Entered service at: Chicago, Ill. Born. 24 June
1898, Chicago, Ill. G.O. No.: 16, W.D., 1919. (Also
received Navy Medal of Honor.) Citation: Pvt. Kelly
ran through our own barrage 100 yards in advance of
the front line and attacked an enemy machinegun
nest, killing the gunner with a grenade, shooting
another member of the crew with his pistol, and
returning through the barrage with 8 prisoners.
KELLY, JOHN JOSEPH (Navy Medal)
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Marine Corps,
78th Company 6th Regiment. Born: 24 June 1898,
Chicago, Ill. Accredited to: Illinois. (Also
received Army Medal of Honor.) Citation: For
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and
beyond the call of duty while serving with the 78th
Company, 6th Regiment, 2d Division, in action with
the enemy at Blanc Mont Ridge, France, 3 October
1918. Pvt. Kelly ran through our own barrage a
hundred yards in advance of the front line and
attacked an enemy machinegun nest, killing the
gunner with a grenade, shooting another member of
the crew with his pistol, and returning through the
barrage with 8 prisoners.
*KOCAK, MATEJ (Army Medal)
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps,
66th Company, 5th Regiment, 2d Division. Place and
date: Near Soissons, France, 18 July 1918. Entered
service at: New York, N.Y. Born: 31 December 1882,
Gbely (Slovakia), Austria. G.O. No.: 34, W.D., 1919.
(Also received Navy Medal of Honor.) Citation: When
the advance of his battalion was checked by a hidden
machinegun nest, he went forward alone, unprotected
by covering fire from his own men, and worked in
between the German positions in the face of fire
from enemy covering detachments. Locating the
machinegun nest, he rushed it and with his bayonet
drove off the crew. Shortly after this he organized
25 French colonial soldiers who had become separated
from their company and led them in attacking another
machinegun nest, which was also put out of action.
*KOCAK, MATEJ (Navy Medal)
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps.
Born: 31 December 1882, Gbely (Slovakia), Austria.
Accredited to: New York. ( Also received Army Medal
of Honor. ) Citation: For extraordinary heroism
while serving with the 66th Company, 5th Regiment,
2d Division, in action in the Viller-Cottertes
section, south of Soissons, France, 18 July 1918.
When a hidden machinegun nest halted the advance of
his battalion, Sgt. Kocak went forward alone
unprotected by covering fire and worked his way in
between the German positions in the face of heavy
enemy fire. Rushing the enemy position with his
bayonet, he drove off the crew. Later the same day,
Sgt. Kocak organized French colonial soldiers who
had become separated from their company and led them
in an attack on another machinegun nest which was
also put out of action.
LATHAM, JOHN CRIDLAND
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Machine
Gun Company, 107th Infantry, 27th Division. Place
and date: Near Le Catelet, France, 29 September
1918. Entered .service at: Rutherford, N.J. Born: 3
March 1888, Windemere, England. G.O. No.: 20, W.D.,
1919. Citation: Becoming separated from their
platoon by a smoke barrage, Sgt. Latham, Sgt. Alan
L. Eggers, and Cpl. Thomas E. O'Shea took cover in a
shellhole well within the enemy's lines. Upon
hearing a call for help from an American tank which
had become disabled 30 yards from them, the 3
soldiers left their shelter and started toward the
tank under heavy fire from German machineguns and
trench mortars. In crossing the fire-swept area,
Cpl. O'Shea was mortally wounded, but his
companions, undeterred, proceeded to the tank,
rescued a wounded officer, and assisted 2 wounded
soldiers to cover in the sap of a nearby trench.
Sgts. Latham and Eggers then returned to the tank in
the face of the violent fire, dismounted a Hotchkiss
gun, and took it back to where the wounded men were
keeping off the enemy all day by effective use of
the gun and later bringing it with the wounded men
back to our lines under cover of darkness.
*LEMERT, MILO
Rank and organization: First Sergeant, U.S. Army,
Company G, 119th Infantry, 30th Division. Place and
date: Near Bellicourt, France, 29 September 1918.
Entered service at: Crossville, Tenn. Birth:
Marshalltown, Iowa. G.O. No.: 59, W.D., 1919.
Citation: Seeing that the left flank of his company
was held up, he located the enemy machinegun
emplacement, which had been causing heavy
casualties. In the face of heavy fire he rushed it
single-handed, killing the entire crew with
grenades. Continuing along the enemy trench in
advance of the company, he reached another
emplacement, which he also charged, silencing the
gun with grenades. A third machinegun emplacement
opened up on him from the left and with similar
skill and bravery he destroyed this also. Later, in
company with another sergeant, he attacked a fourth
machinegun nest, being killed as he reached the
parapet of the emplacement. His courageous action in
destroying in turn 4 enemy machinegun nests
prevented many casualties among his company and very
materially aided in achieving the objective.
LOMAN, BERGER
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company
H, 132d Infantry, 33d Division. Place and date: Near
Consenvoye, France, 9 October 1918. Entered service
at: Chicago, Ill. Born. 24 August 1886, Bergen,
Norway. G.O. No.: 16, W.D., 1919. Citation: When his
company had reached a point within 100 yards of its
objective, to which it was advancing under terrific
machinegun fire, Pvt. Loman voluntarily and unaided
made his way forward after all others had taken
shelter from the direct fire of an enemy machinegun.
He crawled to a flank position of the gun and, after
killing or capturing the entire crew, turned the
machinegun on the retreating enemy.
*LUKE, FRANK, JR. (Air Mission)
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army
Air Corps, 27th Aero Squadron, 1st Pursuit Group,
Air Service. Place and date: Near Murvaux, France,
29 September 1918. Entered service at: Phoenix,
Ariz. Born: 19 May 1897, Phoenix, Ariz. G.O. No.:
59, W.D., 1919. Citation: After having previously
destroyed a number of enemy aircraft within 17 days
he voluntarily started on a patrol after German
observation balloons. Though pursued by 8 German
planes which were protecting the enemy balloon line,
he unhesitatingly attacked and shot down in flames 3
German balloons, being himself under heavy fire from
ground batteries and the hostile planes. Severely
wounded, he descended to within 50 meters of the
ground, and flying at this low altitude near the
town of Murvaux opened fire upon enemy troops,
killing 6 and wounding as many more. Forced to make
a landing and surrounded on all sides by the enemy,
who called upon him to surrender, he drew his
automatic pistol and defended himself gallantly
until he fell dead from a wound in the chest.
LYLE, ALEXANDER GORDON
Rank and organization: Lieutenant Commander (Dental
Corps), U.S. Navy. Born: 12 November 1889,
Gloucester, Mass. Appointed from: Massachusetts.
Other Navy award: Legion of Merit. Citation: For
extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty while
serving with the 5th Regiment, U.S. Marine Corps.
Under heavy shellfire, on 23 April 1918, on the
French Front, Lt. Comdr. Lyle rushed to the
assistance of Cpl. Thomas Regan, who was seriously
wounded, and administered such effective surgical
aid while bombardment was still continuing, as to
save the life of Cpl. Regan.
MacKENZlE, JOHN
Rank and organization: Chief Boatswain's Mate, U.S.
Navy. Born: 7 July 1886, Bridgeport, Conn.
Accredited to: Massachusetts. G.O. No.: 391, 1918.
Citation: For extraordinary heroism while serving on
board the U.S.S. Remlik, on the morning of 17
December 1917, when the Remlik encountered a heavy
gale. During this gale, there was a heavy sea
running. The depth charge box on the taffrail aft,
containing a Sperry depth charge, was washed
overboard, the depth charge itself falling inboard
and remaining on deck. MacKenzie, on his own
initiative, went aft and sat down on the depth
charge, as it was impracticable to carry it to
safety until the ship was headed up into the sea. In
acting as he did, MacKenzie exposed his life and
prevented a serious accident to the ship and
probable loss of the ship and the entire crew.
MADISON, JAMES JONAS
Rank and organization: Lieutenant Commander, U.S.
Naval Reserve Force. Born: 20 May 1884, Jersey City,
N.J. Appointed from: Mississippi. Citation: For
exceptionally heroic service in a position of great
responsibility as commanding officer of the U.S.S.
Ticonderoga, when, on 4 October 1918, that vessel
was attacked by an enemy submarine and was sunk
after a prolonged and gallant resistance. The
submarine opened fire at a range of 500 yards, the
first shots taking effect on the bridge and
forecastle, 1 of the 2 forward guns of the
Ticonderoga being disabled by the second shot. The
fire was returned and the fight continued for nearly
2 hours. Lt. Comdr. Madison was severely wounded
early in the fight, but caused himself to be placed
in a chair on the bridge and continued to direct the
fire and to maneuver the ship. When the order was
finally given to abandon the sinking ship, he became
unconscious from loss of blood, but was lowered into
a lifeboat and was saved, with 31 others, out of a
total number of 236 on board.
MALLON, GEORGE H.
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Army, 132d
Infantry, 33d Division. Place and date: In the
Bois-de-Forges, France, 26 September 1918. Entered
service at: Minneapolis, Minn. Born: 15 June 1877
Ogden, Kans. G.O. No.: 16, W.D., 1919. Citation:
Becoming separated from the balance of his company
because of a fog, Capt. Mallon, with 9 soldiers,
pushed forward and attacked 9 active hostile
machineguns, capturing all of them without the loss
of a man. Continuing on through the woods, he led
his men in attacking a battery of four
155-millimeter howitzers, which were in action,
rushing the position and capturing the battery and
its crew. In this encounter Capt. Mallon personally
attacked 1 of the enemy with his fists. Later, when
the party came upon 2 more machineguns, this officer
sent men to the flanks while he rushed forward
directly in the face of the fire and silenced the
guns, being the first one of the party to reach the
nest. The exceptional gallantry and determination
displayed by Capt. Mallon resulted in the capture of
100 prisoners, 11 machineguns, four 155-millimeter
howitzers and 1 antiaircraft gun.
MANNING, SIDNEY E.
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army Company
G, 167th Infantry, 42d Division. Place and date:
Near Breuvannes, France, 28 July 1918. Entering
service at: Flomaton, Ala. Born: 17 July 1892,
Butler County, Ala. G.O. No.: 44, W.D., 1919.
Citation: When his platoon commander and platoon
sergeant had both become casualties soon after the
beginning of an assault on strongly fortified
heights overlooking the Ourcq River, Cpl. Manning
took command of his platoon, which was near the
center of the attacking line. Though himself
severely wounded he led forward the 35 men remaining
in the platoon and finally succeeded in gaining a
foothold on the enemy's position, during which time
he had received more wounds and all but 7 of his men
had fallen. Directing the consolidation of the
position, he held off a large body of the enemy only
50 yards away by fire from his automatic rifle. He
declined to take cover until his line had been
entirely consolidated with the line of the platoon
on the front when he dragged himself to shelter,
suffering from 9 wounds in all parts of the body.
McGUNIGAL, PATRICK
Rank and organization: Shipfitter First Class, U.S.
Navy. Born: 30 May 1876, Hubbard, Ohio. Accredited
to: Ohio. G.O. No.: 341, 1917. Citation: For
extraordinary heroism while attached to the
Huntington. On the morning of 17 September 1917,
while the U.S.S. Huntington was passing through the
war zone, a kite balloon was sent up with Lt. (j.g.)
H. W. Hoyt, U.S. Navy, as observer. When the balloon
was about 400 feet in the air, the temperature
suddenly dropped, causing the balloon to descend
about 200 feet, when it was struck by a squall. The
balloon was hauled to the ship's side, but the
basket trailed in the water and the pilot was
submerged. McGunigal, with great daring, climbed
down the side of the ship, jumped to the ropes
leading to the basket, and cleared the tangle enough
to get the pilot out of them. He then helped the
pilot to get clear, put a bowline around him, and
enabled him to be hauled to the deck. A bowline was
lowered to McGunigal and he was taken safely aboard.
McMURTRY, GEORGE G.
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Army, 308th
Infantry, 77th Division. Place and date: At
Charlevaux, in the forest of Argonne, France, 2-8
October 1918. Entered service at: New York, N.Y.
Born: 6 November 1876, Pittsburgh, Pa. G.O. No.:
118, W.D., 1918. Citation: Commanded a battalion
which was cut off and surrounded by the enemy and
although wounded in the knee by shrapnel on 4
October and suffering great pain, he continued
throughout the entire period to encourage his
officers and men with a resistless optimism that
contributed largely toward preventing panic and
disorder among the troops, who were without food,
cut off from communication with our lines. On 4
October during a heavy barrage, he personally
directed and supervised the moving of the wounded to
shelter before himself seeking shelter. On 6 October
he was again wounded in the shoulder by a German
grenade, but continued personally to organize and
direct the defense against the German attack on the
position until the attack was defeated. He continued
to direct and command his troops, refusing relief,
and personally led his men out of the position after
assistance arrived before permitting himself to be
taken to the hospital on 8 October. During this
period the successful defense of the position was
due largely to his efforts.
*MESTROVITCH, JAMES 1.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company
C, 111th Infantry, 28th Division. Place and date: At
Fismette, France, 10 August 1918. Entered service
at: Pittsburgh, Pa. Birth: Montenegro. G.O. No.: 20,
W.D., 1919. Citation: Seeing his company commander
Iying wounded 30 yards in front of the line after
his company had withdrawn to a sheltered position
behind a stone wall, Sgt. Mestrovitch voluntarily
left cover and crawled through heavy machinegun and
shell fire to where the officer lay. He took the
officer upon his back and crawled to a place of
safety, where he administered first-aid treatment,
his exceptional heroism saving the officer's life.
MILES, L. WARDLAW
Rank and organization. Captain, U.S. Army, 308th
Infantry, 77th Division. Place and date: Near
Revillon, France, 14 September 1918. Entered service
at: Princeton, N.J. Born: 23 March 1873, Baltimore,
Md. G.O. No.: 44, W.D., 1919. Citation: Volunteered
to lead his company in a hazardous attack on a
commanding trench position near the Aisne Canal,
which other troops had previously attempted to take
without success. His company immediately met with
intense machinegun fire, against which it had no
artillery assistance, but Capt. Miles preceded the
first wave and assisted in cutting a passage through
the enemy's wire entanglements. In so doing he was
wounded 5 times by machinegun bullets, both legs and
1 arm being fractured, whereupon he ordered himself
placed on a stretcher and had himself carried
forward to the enemy trench in order that he might
encourage and direct his company, which by this time
had suffered numerous casualties. Under the
inspiration of this officer's indomitable spirit his
men held the hostile position and consolidated the
front line after an action lasting 2 hours, at the
conclusion of which Capt. Miles was carried to the
aid station against his will.
*MILLER, OSCAR F.
Rank and organization: Major, U.S. Army, 361st
Infantry, 91st Division. Place and date: Near
Gesnes, France, 28 September 1918. Entered service
at: Los Angeles, Calif. Birth: Franklin County, Ark.
G.O. No.: 16, W.D. 1919. Citation: After 2 days of
intense physical and mental strain, during which
Maj. Miller had led his battalion in the front line
of the advance through the forest of Argonne, the
enemy was met in a prepared position south of
Gesnes. Though almost exhausted, he energetically
reorganized his battalion and ordered an attack.
Upon reaching open ground the advancing line began
to waver in the face of machinegun fire from the
front and flanks and direct artillery fire.
Personally leading his command group forward between
his front-line companies, Maj. Miller inspired his
men by his personal courage, and they again pressed
on toward the hostile position. As this officer led
the renewed attack he was shot in the right leg, but
he nevertheless staggered forward at the head of his
command. Soon afterwards he was again shot in the
right arm, but he continued the charge, personally
cheering his troops on through the heavy machinegun
fire. Just before the objective was reached he
received a wound in the abdomen, which forced him to
the ground, but he continued to urge his men on,
telling them to push on to the next ridge and leave
him where he lay. He died from his wounds a few days
later.
MORELOCK, STERLING
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company
M, 28th Infantry, 1st Division. Place and date: Near
Exermont, France, 4 October 1918. Entered service
at: Oquawka, Ill. Birth: Silver Run, Md. G.O. No.:
43, W.D., 1922. Citation: While his company was
being held up by heavy enemy fire, Pvt. Morelock,
with 3 other men who were acting as runners at
company headquarters, voluntarily led them as a
patrol in advance of his company's frontline through
an intense rifle, artillery, and machinegun fire and
penetrated a woods which formed the German
frontline. Encountering a series of 5 hostile
machinegun nests, containing from 1 to 5 machineguns
each, with his patrol he cleaned them all out,
gained and held complete mastery of the situation
until the arrival of his company commander with
reinforcements, even though his entire party had
become casualties. He rendered first aid to the
injured and evacuated them by using stretcher
bearers 10 German prisoners whom he had captured.
Soon thereafter his company commander was wounded
and while dressing his wound Pvt. Morelock was very
severely wounded in the hip, which forced his
evacuation. His heroic action and devotion to duty
were an inspiration to the entire regiment.
NEIBAUR, THOMAS C.
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company
M, 167th1 Infantry,
42d Division. Place and date: Near Landres-et-St.
Georges, France, 16 October 1918. Entered service
at: Sugar City, Idaho. Born: 17 May 1898, Sharon,
Idaho. G.O. No.: 118, W.D., 1918. Citation: On the
afternoon of 16 October 1918, when the
Cote-de-Chatillion had just been gained after bitter
fighting and the summit of that strong bulwark in
the Kriemhilde Stellung was being organized, Pvt.
Neibaur was sent out on patrol with his automatic
rifle squad to enfilade enemy machinegun nests. As
he gained the ridge he set up his automatic rifle
and was directly thereafter wounded in both legs by
fire from a hostile machinegun on his flank. The
advance wave of the enemy troops, counterattacking,
had about gained the ridge, and although practically
cut off and surrounded, the remainder of his
detachment being killed or wounded, this gallant
soldier kept his automatic rifle in operation to
such effect that by his own efforts and by fire from
the skirmish line of his company, at least 100 yards
in his rear, the attack was checked. The enemy wave
being halted and Iying prone, 4 of the enemy
attacked Pvt. Neibaur at close quarters. These he
killed. He then moved alone among the enemy Iying on
the ground about him, in the midst of the fire from
his own lines, and by coolness and gallantry
captured 11 prisoners at the point of his pistol
and, although painfully wounded, brought them back
to our lines. The counterattack in full force was
arrested to a large extent by the single efforts of
this soldier, whose heroic exploits took place
against the skyline in full view of his entire
battalion.
O'NEILL, RICHARD W.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company
D, 165th Infantry, 42d Division. Place and date: On
the Ourcq River, France, 30 July 1918. Entered
service at: New York, N.Y. Birth: New York, N.Y.
G.O. No.: 30, W.D., 1921. Citation: In advance of an
assaulting line, he attacked a detachment of about
25 of the enemy. In the ensuing hand-to-hand
encounter he sustained pistol wounds, but heroically
continued in the advance, during which he received
additional wounds: but, with great physical effort,
he remained in active command of his detachment.
Being again wounded, he was forced by weakness and
loss of blood to be evacuated, but insisted upon
being taken first to the battalion commander in
order to transmit to him valuable information
relative to enemy positions and the disposition of
our men.
ORMSBEE, FRANCIS EDWARD, JR.
Rank and organization: Chief Machinist's Mate, U.S.
Navy. Born: 30 April 1892, Providence, R.l.
Accredited to: Florida. G.O. No.: 436, 1918.
Citation: For extraordinary heroism while attached
to the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Fla., on 25
September 1918. While flying with Ens. J. A. Jova,
Ormsbee saw a plane go into a tailspin and crash
about three-quarters of a mile to the right. Having
landed near by, Ormsbee lost no time in going
overboard and made for the wreck, which was all
under water except the 2 wing tips. He succeeded in
partially extricating the gunner so that his head
was out of water, and held him in this position
until the speedboat arrived. Ormsbee then made a
number of desperate attempts to rescue the pilot,
diving into the midst of the tangled wreckage
although cut about the hands, but was too late to
save his life.
*OSBORNE, WEEDON E.
Rank and organization: Lieutenant, Junior Grade,
(Dental Corps), U.S. Navy. Born: 13 November 1892,
Chicago, Ill. Appointed from: Illinois. Citation:
For extraordinary heroism while attached to the 6th
Regiment, U.S. Marines, in actual conflict with the
enemy and under fire during the advance on
Bouresche, France, on 6 June 1918. In the hottest of
the fighting when the marines made their famous
advance on Bouresche at the southern edge of Belleau
Wood, Lt (j.g.). Osborne threw himself zealously
into the work of rescuing the wounded. Extremely
courageous in the performance of this perilous task,
he was killed while carrying a wounded officer to a
place of safety.
*O'SHEA, THOMAS E.
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army, Machine
Gun Company, 107th Infantry, 27th Division. Place
and date: Near Le Catelet, France, 29 September
1918. Entered service at: Summit, N.J. Birth: New
York, N.Y. G.O. No.: 20, W.D., 1919. Citation:
Becoming separated from their platoon by a smoke
barrage, Cpl. O'Shea, with 2 other soldiers, took
cover in a shell hole well within the enemy's lines.
Upon hearing a call for help from an American tank,
which had become disabled 30 yards from them, the 3
soldiers left their shelter and started toward the
tank under heavy fire from German machineguns and
trench mortars. In crossing the fire-swept area Cpl.
O'Shea was mortally wounded and died of his wounds
shortly afterwards.
PARKER, SAMUEL I.
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army,
Company K, 28th Infantry, 1st Division. Place and
date: Near Soissons, France, 18-19 July 1918.
Entered service at: Monroe, N.C. Birth: Monroe, N.C.
G.O. No.: 1, W.D. 1937. Citation: For conspicuous
gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call
of duty. During the attack the 2d and 3d Battalions
of the 28th Infantry were merged, and after several
hours of severe fighting, successfully established a
frontline position. In so doing, a gap was left
between the right flank of the French 153d Division
on their left and the left flank of the 28th
Infantry, exposing the left flank to a terrific
enfilade fire from several enemy machineguns located
in a rock quarry on high ground. 2d Lt. Parker,
observing this serious situation, ordered his
depleted platoon to follow him in an attack upon the
strong point. Meeting a disorganized group of French
Colonials wandering leaderlessly about, he persuaded
them to join his platoon. This consolidated group
followed 2d Lt. Parker through direct enemy rifle
and machinegun fire to the crest of the hill, and
rushing forward, took the quarry by storm, capturing
6 machineguns and about 40 prisoners. The next day
when the assault was continued, 2d Lt. Parker in
command of the merged 2d and 3d Battalions was in
support of the 1st Battalion. Although painfully
wounded in the foot, he refused to be evacuated and
continued to lead his command until the objective
was reached. Seeing that the assault battalion was
subjected to heavy enfilade fire due to a gap
between it and the French on its left, 2d Lt. Parker
led his battalion through this heavy fire up on the
line to the left of the 1st Battalion and thereby
closed the gap, remaining in command of his
battalion until the newly established lines of the
28th Infantry were thoroughly consolidated. In
supervising the consolidation of the new position,
2d Lt. Parker was compelled to crawl about on his
hands and knees on account of his painful wound. His
conspicuous gallantry and spirit of self-sacrifice
were a source of great inspiration to the members of
the entire command.
PECK, ARCHIE A.
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company
A, 307th Infantry, 77th Division. Place and date: In
the Argonne Forest, France, 6 October 1918. Entered
service at: Hornell, N.Y. Birth: Tyrone, N.Y. G.O.
No.: 16, W.D., 1919. Citation: While engaged with 2
other soldiers on patrol duty, he and his comrades
were subjected to the direct fire of an enemy
machinegun, at which time both his companions were
wounded. Returning to his company, he obtained
another soldier to accompany him to assist in
bringing in the wounded men. His assistant was
killed in the exploit, but he continued on, twice
returning safely bringing in both men, being under
terrific machinegun fire during the entire Journey.
*PERKINS, MICHAEL J.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S.
Army, Company D, 101st Infantry, 26th Division.
Place and date: At Belieu Bois, France, 27 October
1918. Entered service at: Boston, Mass. Birth:
Boston, Mass. G.O. No.: 34, W.D. 1919. Citation: He,
voluntarily and alone, crawled to a German "pill
box" machinegun emplacement, from which grenades
were being thrown at his platoon. Awaiting his
opportunity, when the door was again opened and
another grenade thrown, he threw a bomb inside,
bursting the door open, and then, drawing his trench
knife, rushed into the emplacement. In a
hand-to-hand struggle he killed or wounded several
of the occupants and captured about 25 prisoners, at
the same time silencing 7 machineguns.
PETTY, ORLANDO HENDERSON
Rank and organization: Lieutenant (Medical Corps),
USNRF. Born: 20 February 1874, Harrison, Ohio.
Appointed from: Pennsylvania. Citation: For
extraordinary heroism while serving with the 5th
Regiment, U.S. Marines, in France during the attack
in the Boise de Belleau, 11 June 1918. While under
heavy fire of high explosive and gas shells in the
town of Lucy, where his dressing station was
located, Lt. Petty attended to and evacuated the
wounded under most trying conditions. Having been
knocked to the ground by an exploding gas shell
which tore his mask, Lt. Petty discarded the mask
and courageously continued his work. His dressing
station being hit and demolished, he personally
helped carry Capt. Williams, wounded, through the
shellfire to a place of safety.
*PIKE, EMORY J.
Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, U.S.
Army, Division Machinegun Officer, 82d Division.
Place and date: Near Vandieres, France, 15 September
1918. Entered service at: Des Moines, Iowa. Birth:
Columbia City, Iowa. G.O. No.: 16, W.D., 1919.
Citation: Having gone forward to reconnoiter new
machinegun positions, Lt. Col. Pike offered his
assistance in reorganizing advance infantry units
which had become disorganized during a heavy
artillery shelling. He succeeded in locating only
about 20 men, but with these he advanced and when
later joined by several infantry platoons rendered
inestimable service in establishing outposts,
encouraging all by his cheeriness, in spite of the
extreme danger of the situation. When a shell had
wounded one of the men in the outpost, Lt. Col. Pike
immediately went to his aid and was severely wounded
himself when another shell burst in the same place.
While waiting to be brought to the rear, Lt. Col.
Pike continued in command, still retaining his
jovial manner of encouragement, directing the
reorganization until the position could be held. The
entire operation was carried on under terrific
bombardment, and the example of courage and devotion
to duty, as set by Lt. Col. Pike, established the
highest standard of morale and confidence to all
under his charge. The wounds he received were the
cause of his death.
POPE, THOMAS A.
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army, Company
E, 131st Infantry, 33d Division. Place and date: At
Hamel, France, 4 July 1918. Entered service at:
Chicago, Ill. Birth: Chicago, Ill. G.O. No.: 44,
W.D., 1919. Citation: His company was advancing
behind the tanks when it was halted by hostile
machinegun fire. Going forward alone, he rushed a
machinegun nest, killed several of the crew with his
bayonet, and, standing astride his gun, held off the
others until reinforcements arrived and captured
them.
*PRUITT, JOHN HENRY (Army Medal)
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps,
78th Company, 6th Regiment, 2d Division. Place and
date: At Blanc Mont Ridge, France, 3 October 1918.
Entered service at: Phoenix, Ariz. Born: 4 October
1896, Fayettesville, Ark. G.O. No.: 62, W.D., 1919.
(Also received Navy Medal of Honor.) Citation: Cpl.
Pruitt single-handed attacked 2 machineguns,
capturing them and killing 2 of the enemy. He then
captured 40 prisoners in a dugout nearby. This
gallant soldier was killed soon afterward by
shellfire while he was sniping at the enemy.
*PRUITT, JOHN HENRY (Navy Medal)
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps.
Born: 4 October 1896, Fayettesville, Ark. Accredited
to: Arizona. (Also received Army Medal of Honor.)
Citation: For extraordinary gallantry and
intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while
serving with the 78th Company, 6th Regiment, 2d
Division, in action with the enemy at Blanc Mont
Ridge, France, 3 October 1918. Cpl. Pruitt,
single-handed attacked 2 machineguns, capturing them
and killing 2 of the enemy. He then captured 40
prisoners in a dugout nearby. This gallant soldier
was killed soon afterward by shellfire while he was
sniping the enemy.
REGAN, PATRICK
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army,
115th Infantry, 29th Division. Pace and date:
Bois-de-Consenvoye, France, 8 October 1918. Entered
service at: Los Angeles, Calif. Birth: Middleboro,
Mass. G.O. No.: 50, W.D., 1919. Citation: While
leading his platoon against a strong enemy
machinegun nest which had held up the advance of 2
companies, 2d Lt. Regan divided his men into 3
groups, sending 1 group to either flank, and he
himself attacking with an automatic rifle team from
the front. Two of the team were killed outright,
while 2d Lt. Regan and the third man were seriously
wounded, the latter unable to advance. Although
severely wounded, 2d Lt. Regan dashed with empty
pistol into the machinegun nest, capturing 30
Austrian gunners and 4 machineguns. This gallant
deed permitted the companies to advance, avoiding a
terrific enemy fire. Despite his wounds, he
continued to lead his platoon forward until ordered
to the rear by his commanding officer.
RICKENBACKER, EDWARD V. (Air Mission)
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army
Air Corps, 94th Aero Squadron, Air Service. Place
and date: Near Billy, France, 25 September 1918.
Entered service at: Columbus, Ohio. Born: 8 October
1890, Columbus, Ohio. G.O. No.: 2, W.D., 1931.
Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity
above and beyond the call of duty in action against
the enemy near Billy, France, 25 September 1918.
While on a voluntary patrol over the lines, 1st Lt.
Rickenbacker attacked 7 enemy planes (5 type Fokker,
protecting two type Halberstadt). Disregarding the
odds against him, he dived on them and shot down one
of the Fokkers out of control. He then attacked one
of the Halberstadts and sent it down also.
ROBB, GEORGE S.
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army,
369th Infantry, 93d Division. Place and date: Near
Sechault, France, 29-30 September 1918. Entered
service at: Salina, Kans. Born: 18 May 1887,
Assaria, Kans. G.O. No.: 16, W.D., 1919. Citation:
While leading his platoon in the assault 1st Lt.
Robb was severely wounded by machinegun fire, but
rather than go to the rear for proper treatment he
remained with his platoon until ordered to the
dressing station by his commanding officer.
Returning within 45 minutes, he remained on duty
throughout the entire night, inspecting his lines
and establishing outposts. Early the next morning he
was again wounded, once again displaying his
remarkable devotion to duty by remaining in command
of his platoon. Later the same day a bursting shell
added 2 more wounds, the same shell killing his
commanding officer and 2 officers of his company. He
then assumed command of the company and organized
its position in the trenches. Displaying wonderful
courage and tenacity at the critical times, he was
the only officer of his battalion who advanced
beyond the town, and by clearing machinegun and
sniping posts contributed largely to the aid of his
battalion in holding their objective. His example of
bravery and fortitude and his eagerness to continue
with his mission despite severe wounds set before
the enlisted men of his command a most wonderful
standard of morale and self-sacrifice.
*ROBERTS, HAROLD W.
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army Company
A, 344th Battalion, Tank Corps. Place and date: In
the Montrebeau Woods France 4 October 1918. Entered
service at: San Francisco, Calif. Birth: San
Francisco, Calif. G.O. No.: 16, W.D., 1919.
Citation: Cpl. Roberts, a tank driver, was moving
his tank into a clump of bushes to afford protection
to another tank which had become disabled. The tank
slid into a shell hole, 10 feet deep, filled with
water, and was immediately submerged. Knowing that
only 1 of the 2 men in the tank could escape, Cpl.
Roberts said to the gunner, "Well, only one of us
can get out, and out you go," whereupon he pushed
his companion through the back door of the tank and
was himself drowned.
ROBINSON, ROBERT GUY
Rank and organization: Gunnery Sergeant, U.S. Marine
Corps, 1st Marine Aviation Force Place and date:
Pittham, Belgium, 14 October 1918. Entered service
at: Chicago, Ill. Born: 30 April 1896, New York,
N.Y. Citation: For extraordinary heroism as observer
in the 1st Marine Aviation Force at the front in
France. In company with planes from Squadron 218,
Royal Air Force, conducting an air raid on 8 October
1918, G/Sgt. Robinson's plane was attacked by 9
enemy scouts. In the fight which followed, he shot
down 1 of the enemy planes. In a later air raid over
Pittham, Belgium, on 14 October 1918, his plane and
1 other became separated from their formation on
account of motor trouble and were attacked by 12
enemy scouts. Acting with conspicuous gallantry and
intrepidity in the fight which ensued, G/Sgt.
Robinson, after shooting down 1 of the enemy planes,
was struck by a bullet which carried away most of
his elbow. At the same time his gun jammed. While
his pilot maneuvered for position, he cleared the
jam with one hand and returned to the fight.
Although his left arm was useless, he fought off the
enemy scouts until he collapsed after receiving 2
more bullet wounds, one in the stomach and one in
the thigh.
SAMPLER, SAMUEL M.
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army, Company
H, 142d Infantry, 36th Division. Place and date:
Near St. Etienne, France, 8 October 1918. Entered
service at: Altus, Okla. Birth: Decatur, Tex. G.O.
No.: 59, W.D., 1919. Citation: His company having
suffered severe casualties during an advance under
machinegun fire, was finally stopped. Cpl. Sampler
detected the position of the enemy machineguns on an
elevation. Armed with German handgrenades, which he
had picked up, he left the line and rushed forward
in the face of heavy fire until he was near the
hostile nest, where he grenaded the position. His
third grenade landed among the enemy, killing 2,
silencing the machineguns, and causing the surrender
of 28 Germans, whom he sent to the rear as
prisoners. As a result of his act the company was
immediately enabled to resume the advance.
SANDLIN, WILLIE
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company
A, 132d Infantry, 33d Division. Place and date: At
Bois-de-Forges, France, 26 September 1918. Entered
service at: Hyden, Ky. Birth: Jackson, Ky. G.O. No.:
16, W.D., 1919. Citation: He showed conspicuous
gallantry in action by advancing alone directly on a
machinegun nest which was holding up the line with
its fire. He killed the crew with a grenade and
enabled the line to advance. Later in the day he
attacked alone and put out of action 2 other
machinegun nests, setting a splendid example of
bravery and coolness to his men.
*SAWELSON, WILLIAM
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company
M, 312th Infantry, 78th Division. Place and date: At
Grand-Pre, France, 26 October, 1918. Entered service
at: Harrison, N.J. Born: S August 1895, Newark, N.J.
G.O. No.: 16, W.D., 1919. Citation: Hearing a
wounded man in a shell hole some distance away
calling for water, Sgt. Sawelson, upon his own
initiative, left shelter and crawled through heavy
machinegun fire to where the man lay, giving him
what water he had in his canteen. He then went back
to his own shell hole, obtained more water, and was
returning to the wounded man when he was killed by a
machinegun bullet.
SCHAFFNER, DWITE H.
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army,
306th Infantry, 77th Division. Place and date: Near
St. Hubert's Pavillion, Boureuilles, France, 28
September 1918. Entered service at: Falls Creek, Pa.
Birth: Arroya, Pa. G.O. No.: 15, W.D., 1923.
Citation: He led his men in an attack on St.
Hubert's Pavillion through terrific enemy
machinegun, rifle, and artillery fire and drove the
enemy from a strongly held entrenched position after
hand-to-hand fighting. His bravery and contempt for
danger inspired his men, enabling them to hold fast
in the face of 3 determined enemy counterattacks.
His company's position being exposed to enemy fire
from both flanks, he made 3 efforts to locate an
enemy machinegun which had caused heavy casualties.
On his third reconnaissance he discovered the gun
position and personally silenced the gun, killing or
wounding the crew. The third counterattack made by
the enemy was initiated by the appearance of a small
detachment in advance of the enemy attacking wave.
When almost within reach of the American front line
the enemy appeared behind them, attacking vigorously
with pistols, rifles, and handgrenades, causing
heavy casualties in the American platoon. 1st Lt.
Schaffner mounted the parapet of the trench and used
his pistol and grenades killing a number of enemy
soldiers, finally reaching the enemy officer leading
the attacking forces, a captain, shooting and
mortally wounding the latter with his pistol, and
dragging the captured officer back to the company's
trench, securing from him valuable information as to
the enemy's strength and position. The information
enabled 1st Lt. Schaffner to maintain for S hours
the advanced position of his company despite the
fact that it was surrounded on 3 sides by strong
enemy forces. The undaunted bravery, gallant
soldierly conduct, and leadership displayed by 1st
Lt. Schaffner undoubtedly saved the survivors of the
company from death or capture.
SCHMIDT, OSCAR, JR.
Rank and organization: Chief Gunner's Mate, U.S.
Navy. Place and date: At sea, 9 October 1918.
Entered service at: Pennsylvania. Born: 25 March
1896, Philadelphia, Pa. G.O. No.: 450, 1919.
Citation: For gallant conduct and extraordinary
heroism while attached to the U.S.S. Chestnut Hill,
on the occasion of the explosion and subsequent fire
on board the U.S. submarine chaser 219. Schmidt,
seeing a man, whose legs were partly blown off,
hanging on a line from the bow of the 219, jumped
overboard, swam to the sub chaser and carried him
from the bow to the stern where a member of the
219's crew helped him land the man on the afterdeck
of the submarine. Schmidt then endeavored to pass
through the flames amidships to get another man who
was seriously burned. This he was unable to do, but
when the injured man fell overboard and drifted to
the stern of the chaser Schmidt helped him aboard .
SEIBERT, LLOYD M.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company
F, 364th Infantry, 91st Division. Place and date:
Near Epinonville, France, 26 September 1918. Entered
service at: Salinas, Calif. Birth: Caledonia, Mich.
G.O. No.: 445, W.D., 1919. Citation. Suffering from
illness, Sgt. Seibert remained with his platoon and
led his men with the highest courage and leadership
under heavy shell and machinegun fire. With 2 other
soldiers he charged a machinegun emplacement in
advance of their company, he himself killing one of
the enemy with a shotgun and capturing 2 others. In
this encounter he was wounded, but he nevertheless
continued in action, and when a withdrawal was
ordered he returned with the last unit, assisting a
wounded comrade. Later in the evening he volunteered
and carried in wounded until he fainted from
exhaustion.
SIEGEL, JOHN OTTO
Rank and organization Boatswain's Mate Second Class,
U.S. Navy. Born: 21 April 1890, Milwaukee, Wis.
Accredited to: New Jersey. Citation: For
extraordinary heroism while serving on board the
Mohawk in performing a rescue mission aboard the
schooner Hjeltenaes which was in flames on 1
November 1918. Going aboard the blazing vessel,
Siegel rescued 2 men from the crew's quarters and
went back the third time. Immediately after he had
entered the crew's quarters, a steam pipe over the
door bursted, making it impossible for him to
escape. Siegel was overcome with smoke and fell to
the deck, being finally rescued by some of the crew
of the Mohawk who carried him out and rendered first
aid.
*SKINKER, ALEXANDER R.
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Army, 138th
Infantry, 35th Division. Place and date: At Cheppy,
France, 26 September 1918. Entered service at: St.
Louis, Mo. Birth: St. Louis, Mo. G.O. No.: 13, W.D.,
1919. Citation: Unwilling to sacrifice his men when
his company was held up by terrific machinegun fire
from iron pill boxes in the Hindenburg Line, Capt.
Skinker personally led an automatic rifleman and a
carrier in an attack on the machineguns. The carrier
was killed instantly, but Capt. Skinker seized the
ammunition and continued through an opening in the
barbed wire, feeding the automatic rifle until he,
too, was killed.
SLACK, CLAYTON K.
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company
D, 124th Machine Gun Battalion, 33d Division. Place
and date: Near Consenvoye, France, 8 October 1918.
Entered service at: Madison, Wis. Born: 23 February
1896, Plover, Wis. G.O. No.: 16, W.D., 1919.
Citation: Observing German soldiers under cover 50
yards away on the left flank, Pvt. Slack, upon his
own initiative, rushed them with his rifle and,
single-handed, captured 10 prisoners and 2
heavy-type machineguns, thus saving his company and
neighboring organizations from heavy casualties.
*SMITH, FRED E.
Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, U.S.
Army, 308th Infantry, 77th Division. Place and date:
Near Binarville, France, 29 September 1918. Entered
service at: Bartlett, N. Dak. Birth: Rockford, Ill.
G.O. NO.: 49, W.D., 1922. Citation: When
communication from the forward regimental post of
command to the battalion leading the advance had
been interrupted temporarily by the infiltration of
small parties of the enemy armed with machineguns,
Lt. Col. Smith personally led a party of 2 other
officers and 10 soldiers, and went forward to
reestablish runner posts and carry ammunition to the
front line. The guide became confused and the party
strayed to the left flank beyond the outposts of
supporting troops, suddenly coming under fire from a
group of enemy machineguns only 50 yards away.
Shouting to the other members of his party to take
cover this officer, in disregard of his danger, drew
his pistol and opened fire on the German guncrew.
About this time he fell, severely wounded in the
side, but regaining his footing, he continued to
fire on the enemy until most of the men in his party
were out of danger. Refusing first-aid treatment he
then made his way in plain view of the enemy to a
handgrenade dump and returned under continued heavy
machinegun fire for the purpose of making another
attack on the enemy emplacements. As he was
attempting to ascertain the exact location of the
nearest nest, he again fell, mortally wounded .
*STOCKHAM, FRED W. (Army Medal)
Rank and organization: Gunnery Sergeant, U.S. Marine
Corps, 96th Company, 2d Battalion, 6th Regiment.
Place and date: In Bois-de-Belleau, France, 13-14
June 1918. Entered service at: New York, N.Y. Birth:
Detroit, Mich. G.O. NO.:--. Citation: During an
intense enemy bombardment with high explosive and
gas shells which wounded or killed many members of
the company, G/Sgt. Stockham, upon noticing that the
gas mask of a wounded comrade was shot away, without
hesitation, removed his own gas mask and insisted
upon giving it to the wounded man, well knowing that
the effects of the gas would be fatal to himself. He
continued with undaunted courage and valor to direct
and assist in the evacuation of the wounded, until
he himself collapsed from the effects of gas, dying
as a result thereof a few days later. His courageous
conduct undoubtedly saved the lives of many of his
wounded comrades and his conspicuous gallantry and
spirit of self-sacrifice were a source of great
inspiration to all who served with him.
*STOWERS, FREDDIE
Corporal Stowers, distinguished himself by
exceptional heroism on 28 September 1918 while
serving as a squad leader in Company C, 371st
Infantry Regiment, 93d Division. His company was the
lead company during the attack on Hill 188,
Champagne Marne Sector, France, during World War I.
A few minutes after the attack began, the enemy
ceased firing and began climbing up onto the
parapets of the trenches, holding up their arms as
if wishing to surrender. The enemy's actions caused
the American forces to cease fire and to come out
into the open. As the company started forward and
when within about 100 meters of the trench line, the
enemy jumped back into their trenches and greeted
Corporal Stowers' company with interlocking bands of
machine gun fire and mortar fire causing well over
fifty percent casualties. Faced with incredible
enemy resistance, Corporal Stowers took charge,
setting such a courageous example of personal
bravery and leadership that he inspired his men to
follow him in the attack. With extraordinary heroism
and complete disregard of personal danger under
devastating fire, he crawled forward leading his
squad toward an enemy machine gun nest, which was
causing heavy casualties to his company. After
fierce fighting, the machine gun position was
destroyed and the enemy soldiers were killed.
Displaying great courage and intrepidity Corporal
Stowers continued to press the attack against a
determined enemy. While crawling forward and urging
his men to continue the attack on a second trench
line, he was gravely wounded by machine gun fire.
Although Corporal Stowers was mortally wounded, he
pressed forward, urging on the members of his squad,
until he died. Inspired by the heroism and display
of bravery of Corporal Stowers, his company
continued the attack against incredible odds,
contributing to the capture of Hill 188 and causing
heavy enemy casualties. Corporal Stowers'
conspicuous gallantry, extraordinary heroism, and
supreme devotion to his men were well above and
beyond the call of duty, follow the finest
traditions of military service, and reflect the
utmost credit on him and the United States Army.
SULLIVAN, DANIEL AUGUSTUS JOSEPH
Rank and organization: Ensign, U.S. Naval Reserve
Force. Born: 31 July 1884, Charleston, S.C.
Appointed from: South Carolina. Citation: For
extraordinary heroism as an officer of the U.S.S.
Cristabel in conflict with an enemy submarine on 21
May 1918. As a result of the explosion of a depth
bomb dropped near the submarine, the Christabel was
so badly shaken that a number of depth charges which
had been set for firing were thrown about the deck
and there was imminent danger that they would
explode. Ens. Sullivan immediately fell on the depth
charges and succeeded in securing them, thus saving
the ship from disaster, which would inevitably have
caused great loss of life.
*TALBOT, RALPH
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S.
Marine Corps. Born: 6 January 1897, South Weymouth,
Mass. Appointed from: Connecticut. Citation: For
exceptionally meritorious service and extraordinary
heroism while attached to Squadron C, 1st Marine
Aviation Force, in France. 2d Lt. Talbot
participated in numerous air raids into enemy
territory. On 8 October 1918, while on such a raid,
he was attacked by 9 enemy scouts, and in the fight
that followed shot down an enemy plane. Also, on 14
October 1918, while on a raid over Pittham, Belgium,
2d Lt. Talbot and another plane became detached from
the formation on account of motor trouble and were
attacked by 12 enemy scouts. During the severe fight
that followed, his plane shot down 1 of the enemy
scouts. His observer was shot through the elbow and
his gun jammed. 2d Lt. Talbot maneuvered to gain
time for his observer to clear the jam with one
hand, and then returned to the fight. The observer
fought until shot twice, once in the stomach and
once in the hip and then collapsed, 2d Lt. Talbot
attacked the nearest enemy scout with his front guns
and shot him down. With his observer unconscious and
his motor failing, he dived to escape the balance of
the enemy and crossed the German trenches at an
altitude of 50 feet, landing at the nearest hospital
to leave his observer, and then returning to his
aerodrome.
TALLEY, EDWARD R.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company
L, 117th Infantry, 30th Division. Place and date:
Near Ponchaux, France, 7 October 1918. Entered
service at: Russellville, Tenn. Born: 8 September
1890, Russellville, Tenn. G.O. No.: 50, W.D., 1919.
Citation: Undeterred by seeing several comrades
killed in attempting to put a hostile machinegun
nest out of action, Sgt. Talley attacked the
position single-handed. Armed only with a rifle, he
rushed the nest in the face of intense enemy fire,
killed or wounded at least 6 of the crew, and
silenced the gun. When the enemy attempted to bring
forward another gun and ammunition he drove them
back by effective fire from his rifle.
THOMPSON, JOSEPH H.
Rank and organization: Major, U.S. Army, 110th
Infantry, 28th Division. Place and date: Near
Apremont, France, 1 October 1918. Entered service
at: Beaver Falls, Pa. Born: 26 September 1871,
Kilkeel, County Down, Ireland. G.O. No.: 21, W.D.,
1925. Citation: Counterattacked by 2 regiments of
the enemy, Maj. Thompson encouraged his battalion in
the front line of constantly braving the hazardous
fire of machineguns and artillery. His courage was
mainly responsible for the heavy repulse of the
enemy. Later in the action, when the advance of his
assaulting companies was held up by fire from a
hostile machinegun nest and all but 1 of the 6
assaulting tanks were disabled, Maj. Thompson, with
great gallantry and coolness, rushed forward on foot
3 separate times in advance of the assaulting line,
under heavy machinegun and antitank-gun fire, and
led the 1 remaining tank to within a few yards of
the enemy machinegun nest, which succeeded in
reducing it, thereby making it possible for the
infantry to advance.
TURNER, HAROLD L.
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army, Company
F, 142d Infantry, 36th Division. Place and date:
Near St. Etienne, France, 8 October 1918. Entered
service at: Seminole, Okla. Born: 5 May 1898,
Aurora, Mo. G.O. No.: 59, W.D., 1919. Citation:
After his platoon had started the attack Cpl. Turner
assisted in organizing a platoon consisting of the
battalion scouts, runners, and a detachment of
Signal Corps. As second in command of this platoon
he fearlessly led them forward through heavy enemy
fire, continually encouraging the men. Later he
encountered deadly machinegun fire which reduced the
strength of his command to but 4 men, and these were
obliged to take shelter. The enemy machinegun
emplacement, 25 yards distant, kept up a continual
fire from 4 machineguns. After the fire had shifted
momentarily, Cpl. Turner rushed forward with fixed
bayonet and charged the position alone capturing the
strong point with a complement of 50 Germans and 1
machineguns. His remarkable display of courage and
fearlessness was instrumental in destroying the
strong point, the fire from which had blocked the
advance of his company.
*TURNER, WILLIAM B.
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army
105th Infantry, 27th Division. Place and date: Near
Ronssoy, France, 27 September 1918. Entered service
at: Garden City, N.Y. Birth: Boston, Mass. G.O. No.:
81, W.D., 1919. Citation: He led a small group of
men to the attack, under terrific artillery and
machinegun fire, after they had become separated
from the rest of the company in the darkness.
Single-handed he rushed an enemy machinegun which
had suddenly opened fire on his group and killed the
crew with his pistol. He then pressed forward to
another machinegun post 25 yards away and had killed
1 gunner himself by the time the remainder of his
detachment arrived and put the gun out of action.
With the utmost bravery he continued to lead his men
over 3 lines of hostile trenches, cleaning up each
one as they advanced, regardless of the fact that he
had been wounded 3 times, and killed several of the
enemy in hand-to-hand encounters. After his pistol
ammunition was exhausted, this gallant officer
seized the rifle of a dead soldier, bayoneted
several members of a machinegun crew, and shot the
other. Upon reaching the fourth-line trench, which
was his objective, 1st Lt. Turner captured it with
the 9 men remaining in his group and resisted a
hostile counterattack until he was finally
surrounded and killed.
UPTON, FRANK MONROE
Rank and organization: Quartermaster, U.S. Navy.
Born: 29 April 1896, Loveland, Colo. Accredited to:
Colorado. G.O. No.: 403, 1918. Citation: For
extraordinary heroism following internal explosion
of the Florence H, on 17 April 1918. The sea in the
vicinity of wreckage was covered by a mass of boxes
of smokeless powder, which were repeatedly
exploding. Frank M. Upton, of the U.S.S. Stewart,
plunged overboard to rescue a survivor who was
surrounded by powder boxes and too exhausted to help
himself. Fully realizing the danger from continual
explosion of similar powder boxes in the vicinity,
he risked his life to save the life of this man.
VALENTE, MICHAEL
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company
D, 107th Infantry, 27th Division. Place and date:
East of Ronssoy, France, 29 September 1918. Entered
service at: Ogdensburg N.Y. Born: 5 February 1895,
Cassino, Italy. G.O. No.: 16, W.D., i929. Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and
beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy
during the operations against the Hindenburg line,
east of Ronssoy, France, 29 September 1918. Finding
the advance of his organization held up by a
withering enemy machinegun fire, Pvt. Valente
volunteered to go forward. With utter disregard of
his own personal danger, accompanied by another
soldier, Pvt. Valente rushed forward through an
intense machinegun fire directly upon the enemy
nest, killing 2 and capturing 5 of the enemy and
silencing the gun. Discovering another machinegun
nest close by which was pouring a deadly fire on the
American forces, preventing their advance, Pvt.
Valente and his companion charged upon this strong
point, killing the gunner and putting this
machinegun out of action. Without hesitation they
jumped into the enemy's trench, killed 2 and
captured 16 German soldiers. Pvt. Valente was later
wounded and sent to the rear.
VAN IERSEL, LUDOVICUS M. M.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company
M, 9th Infantry, 2d Division. Place and date: At
Mouzon, France, 9 November 1918. Entered service at:
Glen Rock, N.J. Birth: Holland. G.O. No.: 34, W.D.,
1919. Citation: While a member of the reconnaissance
patrol, sent out at night to ascertain the condition
of a damaged bridge, Sgt. Van Iersel volunteered to
lead a party across the bridge in the face of heavy
machinegun and rifle fire from a range of only 75
yards. Crawling alone along the debris of the ruined
bridge he came upon a trap, which gave away and
precipitated him into the water. In spite of the
swift current he succeeded in swimming across the
stream and found a lodging place among the timbers
on the opposite bank. Disregarding the enemy fire,
he made a careful investigation of the hostile
position by which the bridge was defended and then
returned to the other bank of the river, reporting
this valuable information to the battalion
commander.
VILLEPIGUE, JOHN C.
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army, Company
M, 118th Infantry, 30th Division. Place and date: At
Vaux-Andigny, France, 15 October 1918. Entered
service at. Camden, S.C. Born: 29 March 1896,
Camden, S.C. G.O. No.: 16, W.D., 1919. Citation:
Having been sent out with 2 other soldiers to scout
through the village of Vaux-Andigny, he met with
strong resistance from enemy machinegun fire, which
killed 1 of his men and wounded the other.
Continuing his advance without aid 500 yards in
advance of his platoon and in the face of machinegun
and artillery fire he encountered 4 of the enemy in
a dugout, whom he attacked and killed with a
handgrenade. Crawling forward to a point 150 yards
in advance of his first encounter, he rushed a
machinegun nest, killing 4 and capturing 6 of the
enemy and taking 2 light machineguns. After being
joined by his platoon he was severely wounded in the
arm.
WAALER, REIDAR
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company
A, 105th Machine-Gun Battalion, 27th Division. Place
and date: Near Ronssoy, France, 27 September 1918.
Entered service at: New York, N.Y. Birth: Norway.
G.O. No.. 5, W.D., 1920. Citation: In the face of
heavy artillery and machinegun fire, he crawled
forward to a burning British tank, in which some of
the crew were imprisoned, and succeeded in rescuing
2 men. Although the tank was then burning fiercely
and contained ammunition which was likely to explode
at any time, this soldier immediately returned to
the tank and, entering it, made a search for the
other occupants, remaining until he satisfied
himself that there were no more living men in the
tank.
WARD, CALVIN JOHN
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company
D, 117th Infantry, 30th Division. Place and date:
Near Estrees, France, 8 October 1918. Entered
service at: Morristown, Tenn. Born: October 1898,
Green County, Tenn. G.O. No.: 16, W.D., 1919.
Citation: During an advance, Pvt. Ward's company was
held up by a machinegun, which was enfilading the
line. Accompanied by a noncommissioned officer, he
advanced against this post and succeeded in reducing
the nest by killing 3 and capturing 7 of the enemy
and their guns.
WEST, CHESTER H.
Rank and organization: First Sergeant, U.S. Army,
Company D, 363d Infantry, 91st Division. Place and
date: Near Bois-de-Cheppy, France, 26 September
1918. Entered service at: Los Banos, Calif. Birth:
Fort Collins, Colo. G.O. No.: 34, W.D., 1919.
Citation: While making his way through a thick fog
with his automatic rifle section, his advance was
halted by direct and unusual machinegun fire from 2
guns. Without aid, he at once dashed through the
fire and, attacking the nest, killed 2 of the
gunners, 1 of whom was an officer. This prompt and
decisive hand-to-hand encounter on his part enabled
his company to advance farther without the loss of a
man.
WHITTLESEY, CHARLES W.
Rank and organization: Major, U.S. Army, 308th
Infantry, 77th Division. Place and date: Northeast
of Binarville, in the forest of Argonne France, 2-7
October 1918. Entered service at: Pittsfield, Mass.
Birth. Florence, Wis. G.O. No.: 118, W.D., 1918.
Citation: Although cut off for 5 days from the
remainder of his division, Maj. Whittlesey
maintained his position, which he had reached under
orders received for an advance, and held his
command, consisting originally of 46 officers and
men of the 308th Infantry and of Company K of the
307th Infantry, together in the face of superior
numbers of the enemy during the 5 days. Maj.
Whittlesey and his command were thus cut off, and no
rations or other supplies reached him, in spite of
determined efforts which were made by his division.
On the 4th day Maj. Whittlesey received from the
enemy a written proposition to surrender, which he
treated with contempt, although he was at the time
out of rations and had suffered a loss of about 50
percent in killed and wounded of his command and was
surrounded by the enemy.
*WICKERSHAM, J. HUNTER
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army,
353d Infantry, 89th Division. Place and date. Near
Limey, France, 12 September 1918. Entered service
at: Denver, Colo. Birth: New York, N.Y. G.O. No.:
16, W.D., 1919. Citation: Advancing with his platoon
during the St. Mihiel offensive, he was severely
wounded in 4 places by the bursting of a
high-explosive shell. Before receiving any aid for
himself he dressed the wounds of his orderly, who
was wounded at the same time. He then ordered and
accompanied the further advance of his platoon,
although weakened by the loss of blood. His right
hand and arm being disabled by wounds, he continued
to fire his revolver with his left hand until,
exhausted by loss of blood, he fell and died from
his wounds before aid could be administered.
*WOLD, NELS
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company
I, 138th Infantry, 35th Division. Place and date:
Near Cheppy, France, 26 September 1918. Entered
service at: Minnewaukan, N. Dak. Birth: Winger,
Minn. G.O. No.: 16, W.D., 1919. Citation: He
rendered most gallant service in aiding the advance
of his company, which had been held up by machinegun
nests, advancing, with 1 other soldier, and
silencing the guns, bringing with him, upon his
return, 11 prisoners. Later the same day he jumped
from a trench and rescued a comrade who was about to
be shot by a German officer, killing the officer
during the exploit. His actions were entirely
voluntary, and it was while attempting to rush a 5th
machinegun nest that he was killed. The advance of
his company was mainly due to his great courage and
devotion to duty.
WOODFILL, SAMUEL
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army,
60th Infantry, 5th Division. Place and date: At
Cunel, France, 12 October 1918. Entered service at:
Bryantsburg, Ind. Birth: Jefferson County, Ind. G.O.
No.: 16, W.D., 1919. Citation: While he was leading
his company against the enemy, his line came under
heavy machinegun fire, which threatened to hold up
the advance. Followed by 2 soldiers at 25 yards,
this officer went out ahead of his first line toward
a machinegun nest and worked his way around its
flank, leaving the 2 soldiers in front. When he got
within 10 yards of the gun it ceased firing, and 4
of the enemy appeared, 3 of whom were shot by 1st
Lt. Woodfill. The fourth, an officer, rushed at 1st
Lt. Woodfill, who attempted to club the officer with
his rifle. After a hand-to-hand struggle, 1st Lt.
Woodfill killed the officer with his pistol. His
company thereupon continued to advance, until
shortly afterwards another machinegun nest was
encountered. Calling on his men to follow, 1st Lt.
Woodfill rushed ahead of his line in the face of
heavy fire from the nest, and when several of the
enemy appeared above the nest he shot them,
capturing 3 other members of the crew and silencing
the gun. A few minutes later this officer for the
third time demonstrated conspicuous daring by
charging another machinegun position, killing 5 men
in one machinegun pit with his rifle. He then drew
his revolver and started to jump into the pit, when
2 other gunners only a few yards away turned their
gun on him. Failing to kill them with his revolver,
he grabbed a pick lying nearby and killed both of
them. Inspired by the exceptional courage displayed
by this officer, his men pressed on to their
objective under severe shell and machinegun fire.
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army, Company
G, 328th Infantry, 82d Division. Place and date:
Near Chatel-Chehery, France, 8 October 1918. Entered
service at: Pall Mall, Tenn. Born: 13 December 1887,
Fentress County, Tenn. G.O. No.: 59, W.D., 1919.
Citation: After his platoon had suffered heavy
casualties and 3 other noncommissioned officers had
become casualties, Cpl. York assumed command.
Fearlessly leading 7 men, he charged with great
daring a machinegun nest which was pouring deadly
and incessant fire upon his platoon. In this heroic
feat the machinegun nest was taken, together with 4
officers and 128 men and several guns.
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