The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-08-27
HELL-F0R -CERTAIN
BOASTS WARHER0.
Boy From Mountains Of Kentucky
Rivals Deeds Of Ser
geant York. @.
vOUCHED FOR BY PERsHIHe
Cleaned Out Three Machine Gun Nssts
Which Were Holding Up Line,
Kills "a Germans and Cap
lures Six Guns.

g0T0U OK OU0Us
Lexington, ..Ky.-Hell-forC Certain; In
Leslie county, Kentuckys is now laying
Its claim to fame on exploits Of Sergt.
Willie Sandlin.. The citizens of He'll
for-Certain have read with pride the
official army citation Of Heroic deeds Of
the boy who was reared onltheir creek
and was their neighbor until he Joined
the army in 1918.
The exploits of this mountain boy
are youched for by General Pershing
himself, who pinned the Congressional
Medal OF Honor on his breast.
The official citation Of the war de-
partment is as follows:
"Sergt. Willie Sandlin, Serial No.
2078103, Company A, One Hundred and
Thirty-second infantry.
For conspicuous gallAntry and in
trepidity above and beyond the call Of
duty in action with the enemy at Boia
de FORCES, France, September 20, 1915
Sergeant Sandlin1 showed conspicu-
GUS gallantry in action at Bots de For,
ges, France, September 28,Eby advanc-
ing alone directly on machine, gun
nest which was holding up the line
with its fire. He killed the crew with
a grenade. and enabled the line to adj
vance. Eater In the day Sergeant
Sandlin attacked alone and put out Of
action two other machines gun nests,
setting a splendid exampieiof bravery
and GOODNESS to his men,"
Given Other Honors.
Sergeant Sandlin enlisted in Jack
son, Breathitt county, April 10, 1913,
and served out his term Of enlistment,
being In Nogales, Ariz., when dis
charged. On the following day he re-
enlisted.
), His discharge shows that he was
awarded the Congressional Medal Of
Honor, the French Croix de Guerre
and Medal Militaire for heroic action
September o. The discharge is dated
May 30, 1919, Camp Grant, I'LL
On September 26 his sdiyision, the
Prairie was advancing through the Ar
gonne forest. fighting its way step by
step. Sandlin was in command Of a
platoon Of 81 men when the advance
started
The line had been fighting. for hours,
advancing slowly, when they were sud-
denly held up by machine gun nest
about 100 yards in front. Sandlin
charged up the slope at the machine
gun nest, with bullets from the ma
chine guns and autoplatic pistols Of the |
Germans whistling by him. He was 100
yards in front of his men when he
stopped and threw grenade at, the
nest. This fell short and he ran for
ward and threw two more grenades
into the midst of; the Germans.
He then charged the nest with his
bayonet and found five dead men and
three men still living. These he bayo-
netted.
When the line advanced and came
up with him he rejoined his platoon
and borrowed four more grenades. The
line then advanced again, going up the
slope Of the hill with very little pro-
lection from the trees. At the crest of
the hill another machine gun nest halt
ed the line, but Sandlin kept right on
going. When he was within 20 yards
If the machine gun nest he threw two
both making clean hits, and
again charged with his bayonet. This
time he found four dead and three
Germans, and he bayonetted
the latter. Two machine guns were
captured.
Destroys Third Nest.
After the line had again come up
With him they advanced over the crest
II the hill and down the other slope
:oward the Mouse river.
When they had proceeded about 500
Yards another nest stopped the line,
which was advancing down the slope {
oward the river. But it did not stop {
snndlin he kept right on under fire
rom the machine guns and the pistols
# the Germans and threw three gre ]
lades into the nest, killing eight men,
he entire German crew, and capturing |
wo more machine guns.
Sandlin had thus far killed "a men
y himself while his companions were
aking cover and captured six machine
uns.
Later in the day he was slightly '
by shrapnel on his right hand
nd forehead. A small piece OF shrap- n
ell is still in his forehead Just under
be skin and the hand bears scars.
Bear Leaves Cubs.