The Adair County news., 1919-06-04
ABOVE AND BEYOND
/. THE CALL Of DUTY
INSPIRING PHRASE
CITATION OF SOLDIERS AN IN
cENTIVE TO CIVILIANS TO
GO THE LIMIT.
WHAT BOYS SACRIFICED
Read These Records of Heroes and
Then Consider the Little You
Have Done.


Picture this scene for yourself: the
hot day In July, the heat waves dane
ing over the wheat fields, where the
delayed harvest had turned the stand
ing wheat dry, brown and dead:
After his platoon had gained its
objective along a railroad embank-
ment, Private Dilboy, accompanying
his platoon leader to reconnoitter the
ground beyond, was suddenly fired
upon by an enemy machine gun from
one hundred yards. From standing
position on the railroad track fully
exposed to view, he opened fire at
once, but failing to silence the gun,
rushed forward with his bayonet fixed,
through a wheat field to the gun en-
placement, falling within rs yards OF
the gun with his right leg nearly
severed above the knee, and with sew
eral bullets in his body, with undaunt-
ed courage, he continued to fire into
the emplacement from a prone posi-
ton, killing two or the enemy and dis
persing the rest of the crew."
So reads the brief citation of an
American private, who died in the
wheat field to the east of Belleau
Wood, July IS, 1918.
For conspicuous gallantry and in
trepidtiy above and beyond the call
runs the citation.
Above and beyond the call of duty"
How many times that sentence has ap-
peared In the records of the American
fighting man in France.
Private Dilboy charged through a
slashing fire of machine gun bullets.
ripped and torn with steel slugs, bay
onet fixed He was shot well nigh to
bits when he stopped, but he still had
1t in him to kill two Germans. And
he fell face to the Hun machine gun.
Something above and beyond the call
of duty" carried that American pri-
vate soldier straight to death.
His Life For a Friends.
Here is another brief citation of a
Californian who died as a man and
|
above and beyond the call of duty"
and there were scores Of them, like
Corporal Roberts drowned In the shell
hole Of Montrebeau Woods, October
4, 1918. Willie Sandlin Of Hayden,
KY, won his citation on Sept. 26, in
Bois de Forges. Says the report:
Sergeant Sandlin showed conspicu-
!. | Ia MI IN M
J Forges by advancing alone directly
on machine gun nest which was hold
ing up the line with its fire. He killed
the crew with a grenade and enabled
the line to advance. Later in the day
Sergeant Sandlin attacked alone and
put out of action two other machine
gun nests, setting splendid example
of bravery and GOODNESS to his men. -
Above and beyond the call Of duty.
That was the manner in which Ameri-
cans fought and died over in France.
What have you done?
Men From Midwest.
There was a first lieutenant from
the little city of Salina, Kan. Lieut.
George Robb was in action near
Sechault, France, September 1890
last year He was severely wounded
by machine gun fire, but had to be or
dered back from his platoon to tn
dressing station before he would go
He was back within Is minutes, or
. duty all night, establishing outposts
inspecting his lines. At daybreak he
was again wounded Later in the day
bursting shell added two more
wounds to those he had suffered. This
shell killed his commanding Officer
and the other two lieutenants Of his
company, so Lieut. Robb stayed on the
job. He was the sort of an American
who felt something above and be
yond the call of duty
Many of them died as Capt. Alex
ander R Skinker of st. Louis died, OF
September 26, 1918. He fell at the lit
tie hamlet of Cheppy, France, place
that will be remembered so long a.
memory lasts by the men Of Missour
and Kansas who fought with the 35tl
division. Says the report:
Unwilling to sacrifice his men whel
his company was held up by terrif1
/ machine gun fire from iron pill boxe
J in the Hindenburg line, Capt Skinke
personally led an automatic rifemal
: and carrier in an attack on the ma
chine guns. The carrier was kille,
instantly, but Capt Skinker seized tn
! ammunition and continued through a
/ opening in the barbed wire, feedin
: the gun till he was killed too."
So run the terse, short, plain tale
Of the men Of America who have bee
: cited for the sort Of heroism that
: deathless. above and beyond tn
t call Of duty" They were not conten
TO be Just soldiers. They had In ther
. something more than doing their duty
1t was to be above and beyond tn