_Skinker, Alexander R., Captain_, 138th Infantry, 35th Division, St.
Louis, Mo.—Cheppy, France, Sept. 26, 1918. Unwilling to sacrifice his
men when his company was held up by terrific machine-gun fire from
iron “pill boxes” in the Hindenburg line, Captain Skinker personally
led an automatic rifleman and a carrier in an attack on the machine
guns. The carrier was killed instantly, but Captain Skinker seized the
ammunition and continued through an opening in the barbed wire, feeding
the automatic rifle until he, too, was killed.
* * * * *
_Wold, Nels, Private_, Co. I, 138th Infantry, 35th Division, McIntosh,
Minn.—Cheppy, France, Sept. 26, 1918. He rendered most gallant service
in aiding the advance of his company, which had been held up by
machine-gun nests, advancing with one other soldier and silencing the
guns, bringing with him upon his return eleven 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 fifth machine-gun nest that he was killed. The advance of his
company was mainly due to his great courage and devotion to duty.