The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1919-09-15
HELL-FOR-CERTAIN
BOASTS ARHER0
Boy From Mountains of Kentucky
Rivals. Deeds of Ser
geant York.
VOUCHED FOR BY PERSRING
Cleaned Out Three Machine Gun Nests
Which Were Holding Up Line,
Kills % Germans and Cap
lures Six Guns.

lures SIX Guns.
Lexington, Ky-Hell-for-Certa In
Leslie county, Kentucky, 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 or
the boy who was reared on their creek
and was their neighbor until he Joined
the army in 1913.
The exploits of this mountain boy
are vouched 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.
207S103, 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 Bois
de FORCES, France, September 26, 1913.
Sergeant Sandlin showed conspicu-
Gus gallantry in action at Bois de For
ges, France, September 26, by adyanc-
ing alone directly on machine gun
nest which was holding up the line
with its fire. He killed the crew with
grenade and enabled the line to ad-
! vance. Later in the day Sergeant
| Sandlin attacked alone and put out of
action two other machine gun nests,
setting a splendid example of bravery
and coolness to his men,"
Given Other Honors-
Sergeant Sandlin enlisted in jack
son, Breathitt county, April 16, 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 "a. The discharge is dated
May 80, 1919, Camp Grant, Ill.
On September 26 his division. the
Prairie, was advancing through the AR
gonne forest, fighting its way step by
step. Sandlin was in command of q
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 $50 yards In front. Sandlir
charged up the slope at the machine
gun nest, with bullets from the ma
chine guns and automatic pistols of thu
| Germans whistling by him. He was ion
! Yards In front of his men when h'
stopped and threw grenade at tn,
nest. This fell short and he ran for
. ward and threw two more grenade
into the midst of the Germans.
He then charged the nest with hi
bayonet and found five dead men an
three men still living. These he bayt
netted.
When the line advanced and cam
up with him he rejoined his platoo
and borrowed four more grenades. tn
line then advanced again, going up tn
slope of the hill with very little pre-
lection from the trees. At the crest c
| | NIle EdCIllc gun hCot ha'
ed the line, but Sandlin kept right o
going. When he was within 20 yard
of the machine gun nest he threw tw
grenades, both making clean hits, an
, again charged with his bayonet. TIL
time he found four dead and thre
, wounded Germans, and he .bayonette
} the latter. Two machine guns wei
captured
Destroys Third Nest.
After the line had again come U
with him they advanced over the ere.
J ! of the hill and down the other sloI
toward the Meuse river.
, When they had proceeded about 5t
: yards another nest stopped the lin
; which was advancing down the sloI
!, toward the river. But 1t did not ste
Sendlin, he kept right on under iii
J, from the machine guns and the pisto
.of the Germans and threw three gr
nades into the nest killing eight me
: the entire German crew, and capturir
' two more machine guns.
= ;sandlin had thus far killed "a mt
!, hy himself while his companions we
: taking cover and captured six machil
r Euns.
! Later in the day he was slight
wounded by shrapnel on his right hal
= 4 and farehead. A small piece of shra