_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.
* * * * *
_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.