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Distinguished Service Cross Recipients

About the Distinguished Service Cross

Hamilton County

 
     Merl E. Clark, sergeant, Company C, 168th Infantry. For extraordinary heroism in action at the Cote-de-Chatillon, east of Grandpre, France, October 16, 1918. After leading his platoon in a resolute assault across open ground swept by machine gun fire, he saw his left held up by a machine gun nest. Taking four soldiers, he flanked the enemy position, killed four Germans and captured two prisoners and two heavy machine guns, his own detachment suffering no casualties. He executed this movement with exceptional skill, daring and promptness, and in less than 10 minutes cleared the ground for the advance of two companies.

Residence at enlistment: 936 Walnut Street, Webster City, Iowa (Hamilton co.)

 
     Charles A. McCarthy, private, Company B, 2d Machine Gun Battalion. For extraordinary heroism in action near Fleville, France, October 5, 1918. With the assistance of one other soldier Pvt. McCarthy, entered a wood where three machine guns were holding up our attack, and under unusually heavy artillery and machine gun fire knocked one of the guns out and rushed the second single handed. With assistance of the other soldier he then succeeded in capturing about 20 prisoners who were in or near the machine gun nest.

Residence at enlistment: Blairsburg, Iowa (Hamilton co.)
 

 
     Severt J. Nelson (army serial No. 2384980), sergeant, Company M, 60th Infantry. for extraordinary heroism in action near Cunel, France, October 12, 1918. Leading his platoon in the face of murderous machine gun fire from his front and flanks, Sergt Nelson reached his objective after taking four enemy machine gun nests and killing and capturing many prisoners. He then contnued ahead of his men, and laone cleaned out some housed in the wood, which were occupied by the enemy.

Emergency address: Andrew M. Nelson, brother, Ellsworth, Iowa
Residence at enlistment: Ellsworth, Iowa (Hamilton co.)
 

    Harold Wilkinson, private, Company B, 16th Infantry. For extraordinary heroism in action south of Soissons, France, July 20, 1918. When the enemy was forming for a counter attack he carried messages three times through their heavy barrage, and although in an exhausted condition from that work, he remained with his company throughout the entire operations.

Residence at enlistment: Williams, Iowa (Hamilton co.)
 

 

~source: Official Register, State of Iowa 1921-1922, Twenty-Ninth Number, Military Decorations of Iowans in the World War, pg. 360-376

~ Transcribed and contributed by Sharyl Ferrall for Iowa in the Great War Special Project