Part 48
_Hays, George Price, First Lieutenant_, 10th Field Artillery, 3rd Division, Okarchee, Okla.—Grèves Farm, France, July 14-15, 1918. At the very outset of the unprecedented artillery bombardment by the enemy of July 14-15, 1918, 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 established liaison with two French batteries, visiting their position so frequently that he was mainly responsible for the accurate fire therefrom. While thus engaged, seven 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.
5TH DIVISION
_Allworth, Edward S., Captain_, 60th Infantry, 5th Division, Crawford, Wash.—Cléry-le-Petit, France, Nov. 5, 1918. While his company was crossing the Meuse River and Canal at a bridgehead opposite Cléry-le-Petit, the bridge over the canal was destroyed by shell fire and Captain 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 machine-gun nests and capturing a hundred prisoners, whose number exceeded that of the men in his command. The exceptional courage and leadership displayed by Captain Allworth made possible the reëstablishment of a bridgehead over the canal and the successful advance of other troops.
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_Woodfill, Samuel, First Lieutenant_, 60th Infantry, 5th Division, Fort Thomas, Ky.—Cunel, France, Oct. 12, 1918. While he was leading his company against the enemy his line came under heavy machine-gun fire, which threatened to hold up the advance. Followed by two soldiers at 25 yards, this officer went out ahead of his first line toward a machine-gun nest and worked his way around its flank, leaving the two soldiers in front. When he got within 10 yards of the gun it ceased firing, and four of the enemy appeared, three of whom were shot by Lieutenant Woodfill. The fourth, an officer, rushed at Lieutenant Woodfill, who attempted to club the officer with his rifle. After a hand-to-hand struggle, Lieutenant Woodfill killed the officer with his pistol. His company thereupon continued to advance until shortly afterward another machine-gun nest was encountered. Calling his men to follow, Lieutenant 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 three 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 machine-gun position, killing five men in one machine-gun pit with his rifle. He then drew his revolver and started to jump into the pit, when two other gunners only a few yards away turned their gun on him. Failing to kill them with his revolver, he grabbed a pick lying near by 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 machine-gun fire.
26TH DIVISION
_Dilboy, George, Private, first class_, Co. H, 103rd Infantry, 26th Division, Boston, Mass.—Belleau, France, July 18, 1918. After his platoon had gained its objective along a railroad embankment, Private Dilboy, accompanying his platoon leader to reconnoiter the ground beyond, was suddenly fired upon by an enemy machine gun 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 twenty-five 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 two of the enemy and dispersing the rest of the crew.
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_Perkins, Michael J., Private, first class_, Company D, 101st Infantry, 26th Division, Boston, Mass.—Belieu Bois, France, Oct. 27, 1918. He, voluntarily and alone, crawled to a German “pillbox” machine-gun 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 twenty-five prisoners, at the same time silencing seven machine guns.
27TH DIVISION
_Eggers, Alan Louis, Sergeant_, M. G. Company, 107th Infantry, 27th Division, Summit, N. J.—Le Catelet, France, Sept. 29, 1918. Becoming separated from their platoon by a smoke barrage, Sergeant Eggers, Sergeant John C. Latham, and Corporal 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 three soldiers left their shelter and started toward the tank under heavy fire from German machine guns and trench mortars. In crossing the fire-swept area Corporal O’Shea was mortally wounded; but his companions, undeterred, proceeded to the tank, rescued a wounded officer, and assisted two wounded soldiers to cover in a sap of a nearby trench. Sergeant Eggers and Sergeant 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.
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_Gaffney, Frank, Private, first class_, 108th Infantry, 27th Division, Lockport, N. Y.—Ronssoy, France, Sept. 29, 1918. Private Gaffney, an automatic rifleman, pushed forward alone with his gun, after all the other members of his squad had been killed, discovered several Germans placing a heavy machine gun in position. He killed the crew, captured the gun, bombed several dugouts, and, after killing four more of the enemy with his pistol, held the position until reinforcement came up, when eighty prisoners were captured.
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_Latham, John Cridland, Sergeant_, M. G. Co., 107th Infantry, 27th Division, Westmoreland, England.—Le Catelet, France, Sept. 29, 1918. Becoming separated from their platoon by a smoke barrage, Sergeant Latham, Sergeant Alan L. Eggers, and Corporal 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 thirty yards from them, the three soldiers left their shelter and started toward the tank under heavy fire from German machine guns and trench mortars. In crossing the fire-swept area Corporal O’Shea was mortally wounded, but his companions, undeterred, proceeded to the tank, rescued a wounded officer, and assisted two wounded soldiers to cover in the sap of a nearby trench. Sergeant Latham and Sergeant 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.
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_Luke, Frank, Jr., Lieutenant_, 27th Aero Squadron, Phoenix, Ariz.—Murvaux, France, Sept. 29, 1918. After having previously destroyed a number of enemy aircraft within seventeen days, he voluntarily started on a patrol after German observation balloons. Though pursued by eight German planes, which were protecting the enemy balloon line, he unhesitatingly attacked and shot down in flames three German balloons, being himself under heavy fire from ground batteries and the hostile planes. Severely wounded, he descended to within fifty meters of the ground; and flying at this low altitude near the town of Murvaux, opened fire upon enemy troops, killing six 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.
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_O’Shea, Thomas E., Corporal_, M. G. Co., 107th Infantry, 27th Division, Summit, N. J.—Le Catelet, France, Sept. 29, 1918. Becoming separated from their platoon by a smoke barrage. Corporal O’Shea, with two 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 thirty yards from them, the three soldiers left their shelter and started toward the tank under heavy fire from German machine guns and trench mortars. In crossing the fire-swept area Corporal O’Shea was mortally wounded and died of his wounds shortly afterward.
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_Waalker, Reider, Sergeant_, Co. A, 105th Infantry, 27th Division, Noretrand, Norway.—Ronssoy, France, Sept. 27, 1918. In the face of heavy artillery and machine-gun fire, he crawled forward in a burning British tank in which some of the crew were imprisoned, and succeeded in rescuing two 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.
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_Turner, William S., First Lieutenant_, 105th Infantry, 27th Division, Dorchester, Mass.—Ronssoy, France, Sept. 27th, 1918. He led a small group of men to the attack, under terrific artillery and machine-gun fire, after they had become separated from the rest of the company in the darkness. Single-handed he rushed an enemy machine gun which had suddenly opened fire on his group and killed the crew with his pistol. He then pressed forward to another machine-gun post, 25 yards away, and had killed one 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 three lines of hostile trenches, cleaning up each one as they advanced, regardless of the fact that he had been wounded three 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 machine-gun crew, and shot the others. Upon reaching the fourth-line trench, which was his objective, Lieutenant Turner captured it with the nine men remaining in his group, and resisted a hostile counter-attack until he was finally surrounded and killed.
28TH DIVISION
_Mestrovitch, James I, Sergeant_, Co. C, 111th Infantry, 28th Division, Fresno, Cal.—Fismette, France, Aug. 10, 1918. Seeing his company commander lying wounded thirty yards in front of the line after his company had withdrawn to a sheltered position behind a stone wall, Sergeant Mestrovitch voluntarily left cover and crawled through heavy machine-gun and shell-fire to where the officer lay. He took the officer upon his back and crawled back to a place of safety, where he administered first-aid treatment, his exceptional heroism saving the officer’s life.
29TH DIVISION
_Costin, Henry G., Private_, Co. H, 115th Infantry, 29th Division, Cape Charles, Va.—Bois de Consenvoye, France, Oct. 8, 1918. When the advance of his platoon had been held up by machine-gun fire and a request was made for an automatic-rifle team to charge the nest, Private Costin was the first to volunteer. Advancing with his team under terrific fire of enemy artillery, machine guns, 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 machine guns. He succumbed from the effects of his wounds shortly after the accomplishment of his heroic deed.
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_Gregory, Earl D., Sergeant_, H. Q. Co., 116th Infantry, 29th Division, Chase City, Va.—Boise de Consenvoye, north of Verdun, France, Oct. 8, 1918. With the remark, “I will get them,” Sergeant Gregory seized a rifle and a trench-mortar shell which he used as a hand grenade, left his detachment of the trench-mortar platoon, and, advancing ahead of the infantry, captured a machine gun and three of the enemy. Advancing still further from the machine-gun nest, he captured a 7.5-centimeter mountain howitzer, and, entering a dugout in the immediate vicinity, single-handed captured nineteen of the enemy.
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_Regan, Patrick, Second Lieutenant_, 115th Infantry, 29th Division, Los Angeles, Cal.—Bois de Consenvoye, France, Oct. 8, 1918. While leading his platoon against a strong enemy machine-gun nest which had held up the advance of two companies, Lieut. Regan divided his men into three groups, sending one group to either flank, and he himself attacking with an automatic-rifle team from the front. Two of the team were killed outright, while Lieut. Regan and the third man were seriously wounded, the latter unable to advance. Although severely wounded, Lieut. Regan dashed with empty pistol into the machine-gun nest, capturing thirty Austrian gunners and four machine guns. 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.
30TH DIVISION
_Adkinson, Joseph B., Sergeant_, Co. C, 119th Infantry, 30th Division, Atoka, Tenn.—Bellicourt, France, Sept. 29, 1918. When murderous machine-gun fire at a range of fifty yards had made it impossible for his platoon to advance, and had caused the platoon to take cover, Sergeant Adkinson alone, with the greatest intrepidity, rushed across the fifty yards of open ground directly into the face of the hostile machine gun, kicked the gun from the parapet into the enemy trench, and at the point of the bayonet captured the three men manning the gun. The gallantry and quick decision of this soldier enabled the platoon to resume its advance.
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_Blackwell, Robert L., Private_, 119th Infantry, 30th Division, Hurdles Mills, N. C.—Saint Souplet, France, Oct. 11, 1918. When his platoon was almost surrounded by the enemy and his platoon commander asked for volunteers to carry a message calling for reinforcements, Private Blackwell volunteered for this mission, well knowing the extreme danger connected with it. In attempting to get through the heavy shell and machine-gun fire this gallant soldier was killed.
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_Dozier, James C., First Lieutenant_, Co. G, 118th Infantry, 30th Division, Rock Hill, S. C.—Montbrehain, France, Oct. 8, 1918. In command of two platoons, Lieutenant 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 machine-gun fire he disposed his men in the best cover available, and with a soldier continued forward to attack a machine-gun nest. Creeping up to the position in the face of intense fire, he killed the entire crew with hand grenades and his pistol; and a little later captured a number of Germans who had taken refuge in a dugout nearby.
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_Foster, Gary Evans, Sergeant_, Co. F, 118th Infantry, 30th Division, Inman, S. C.—Montbrehain, France, Oct. 8, 1918. When his company was held up by violent machine-gun fire from a sunken road Sergeant Foster, with an officer, went forward to attack the hostile machine-gun nests. The officer was wounded, but Sergeant Foster continued on alone in the face of heavy fire and by effective use of hand grenades and his pistol killed several of the enemy and captured eighteen.
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_Hall, Thomas Lee, Sergeant_, Co. G, 118th Infantry, 30th Division, Fort Hill, S. C.—Montbrehain, France, Oct. 8, 1918. Having overcome two machine-gun nests under his skillful leadership, Sergeant Hall’s platoon was stopped 800 yards from its final objective by machine-gun fire of particular intensity. Ordering his men to take cover in a sunken road, he advanced alone on the enemy machine-gun post and killed five members of the crew with his bayonet and thereby made possible the further advance of the line. While attacking another machine-gun nest later in the day this gallant soldier was mortally wounded.
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_Heriot, James D., Corporal_, Co. I, 118th Infantry, 30th Division, Providence, S. C.—Vaux-Andigny, France, Oct. 12, 1918. Corporal Heriot, with four 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 two of his men were killed, and because of the heavy fire from all sides the remaining two sought shelter. Unmindful of the hazard attached to his mission, Corporal Heriot, with fixed bayonet, alone charged the machine gun, making his way through the fire for a distance of thirty yards and forcing the enemy to surrender. During his exploit he received several wounds in the arm, and later in the same day, while charging another nest, he was killed.
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_Hilton, Richmond H., Sergeant_, Co. H, 118th Infantry, 30th Division, Westville, S. C.—Brancourt, France, Oct. 11, 1918. While Sergeant Hilton’s company was advancing through the village of Brancourt it was held up by intense enfilading fire from a machine gun. Discovering that this fire came from a machine-gun nest among shell holes at the edge of the town, Sergeant 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 six of the enemy and capturing ten. In the course of this daring exploit he received a wound from a bursting shell, which resulted in the loss of his arm.
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_Karnes, James E., Sergeant_, Co. D, 117th Infantry, 30th Division, Knoxville, Tenn.—Estrées, France, Oct. 8, 1918. During an advance his company was held up by a machine gun which was enfilading the line. Accompanied by another soldier, he advanced against this position and succeeded in reducing the nest by killing three and capturing seven of the enemy and their guns.
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_Lemert, Milo, First Sergeant_, Co. H, 119th Infantry, 30th Division, Grossville, Tenn.—Bellicourt, France, Sept. 29, 1918. Seeing that the left flank of his company was held up, he located the enemy machine-gun 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 machine-gun emplacement opened upon him from the left, and, with similar skill and bravery, he destroyed this also. Later, in company with another sergeant, he attacked a fourth machine-gun nest, being killed as he reached the parapet of the emplacement. His courageous action in destroying in turn four enemy machine-gun nests prevented many casualties among his company and very materially aided in achieving the objective.
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_Talley, Edward R., Sergeant_, Co. L, 117th Infantry, 30th Division, Russellville, Tenn.—Ponchaux, France, Oct. 7, 1918. Undeterred by seeing several comrades killed in attempting to put a hostile machine-gun nest out of action, Sergeant 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 six 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.
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_Villepigue, John C., Corporal_, Co. M, 118th Infantry, 30th Division, Camden, S. C.—Vaux-Andigny, France, Oct. 15, 1918. Having been sent out with two other soldiers to scout through the village of Vaux-Andigny, he met with strong resistance from enemy machine-gun fire, which killed one of his men and wounded the other. Continuing forward without aid, 500 yards in advance of his platoon and in the face of enemy machine-gun and artillery fire, he encountered four of the enemy in a dugout, whom he attacked and killed with a hand grenade. Crawling forward to a point 150 yards in advance of his first encounter, he rushed a machine-gun nest, killing four and capturing six of the enemy and taking two light machine guns. After being joined by his platoon he was severely wounded in the arm.
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_Ward, Calvin, Private_, Co. D, 117th Infantry, 30th Division, Morristown, Tenn.—Estrées, France, Oct. 8, 1918. During an advance Private Ward’s company was held up by a machine gun, which was enfilading the line. Accompanied by a non-commissioned officer, he advanced against this post and succeeded in reducing the nest by killing three and capturing seven of the enemy and their guns.
31ST DIVISION
_Slack, Clayton K., Private_, Co. E, 124th Infantry, 31st Division, Lampson, Wis.—Consenvoye, France, Oct. 8, 1918. Observing German soldiers under cover fifty yards away on the left flank, Private Slack, upon his own initiative, rushed them with his rifle, and, single-handed, captured ten prisoners and two heavy-type machine guns, thus saving his company and neighboring organizations from heavy casualties.
33RD DIVISION
_Allex, Jake, Corporal_, Co. H, 131st Infantry, 33rd Division, Chicago.—At Chipilly Ridge, France, Aug. 9, 1918. At a critical point in the action, when all the officers with his platoon had become casualties, Corporal Allex took command of the platoon and led it forward until the advance was stopped by fire from a machine-gun nest. He then advanced alone for about thirty yards in the face of intense fire and attacked the nest. With his bayonet he killed five of the enemy, and when it was broken used the butt end of his rifle, capturing fifteen prisoners.
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