Congressional Medal of Honor Society

Stories of Sacrifice

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World War I - U.S. Army

Joseph Henry Thompson

Details
  • Rank: Major (Highest Rank: Colonel)
  • Conflict/Era: World War I
  • Unit/Command:
    110th Infantry,
    28th Division
  • Military Service Branch: U.S. Army
  • Medal of Honor Action Date: October 1, 1918
  • Medal of Honor Action Place: near Apremont, France
Citation
Counterattacked by two regiments of the enemy, Maj. Thompson encouraged his battalion in the front line by constantly braving the hazardous fire of machine guns 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 machine-gun nest and all but one of the six assaulting tanks were disabled, Maj. Thompson, with great gallantry and coolness, rushed forward on foot three separate times in advance of the assaulting line, under heavy machine-gun and antitank-gun fire, and led the one remaining tank to within a few yards of the enemy machine-gun nest, which it succeeded in reducing, thereby making it possible for the infantry to advance.
Additional Details
  • Accredited to: Beaver Falls, Beaver County, Pennsylvania
  • Awarded Posthumously: No
  • Born: September 26, 1871, Kilkeel, County Down, Ireland
  • Died: February 1, 1928, Beaver Falls, PA, United States
  • Buried: Beaver Falls Cemetery & Memorial Park (MH) (A-55-58), Beaver Falls, PA, United States
 

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