The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-09-26
City and County Teachers TO Meet Pupils
HOmdtOn Hero Will be
At National Convention
Corporal Sidney &. Manning Is One
Of Fifty-Four Medal Honor
Men in World.

On account of urgent duties as
| public health officers, DR.. S. r. Nal
lory Kennedy. vice. commander OF the
American Legion for Florida. will be
unable to attend the NATIONAL con-
vention Of the American Legion TO
| be heud in Cleveland September p,
2S and %. Jesse Lee Billingsley state
commander for Florida, viii be pres
ent at the convention.
Among the medals OF honor men
who will be at the convention is Sid
ney (. Manning Of Flomaton. Ala.
The exploit OF Corporal Manning
stood out for nine months Of con-
| tinuous fighting as the most striking
in the traditions OF Company G, OF
which he was a member, according 10
7 the commanding officer OF the COM
pany, Lieut.. Richard 3. Kelly.
The following description Of the
/ daring deed IS contained I'm a letter
from Lieutenant Kelly TO the COM
mander Of the And division in which
Corporal Manning was recommended
for a medal OF honor.
On the morning OF July IS. the End
battalion Of the l67th infantry forced
| a passage OF the River Ourcq. on the
center OF the front OF the 42nd divis-
ion, in the face Of accurately placed
artillery fire from guns Of all calibres.
executed from the rear and from both
flanks, and despite machine gun fire
from the bold slopes north or the
Ourcq. which dominated the river bed
and all 'Creases and swales in the ter
rain leading to the northern heights
OF the Ourcq, this battalion was un-
der orders to seize a foothold on the
northern heights Of the Ourcq at a
point between Sergy and the town Of
Nessles
Company G Was in the Center.
The entire battalion in the face Of
the most violent machine gun con-
centrasions from commanding posi-
/ tions on the steep heights above, car
ried the assault over the crest of the
/ HILL which was taken by storm IN
! hand to- hand fighting
| At this stage, about so o'clock in
the morning, the platoon commander
of the 2nd or right" platoon of q
company, in which platoon Corporal
Manning was in command Of of an
automatic rifle squad, was killed. and
the sergeant in command OF the pla-
! toon was severely wounded. In Car
poral Manning's squad the automatic
rifle gunner was killed and all but
thirty five OF the second platoon were
Corporal Manning was himself Sc
verely wounded. He assumed com
mand OF the platoon, pushed over the
crest Of the hill, and led the platoon
against an enemy strong point, which
dominated the entire valley Of the
Ourcq, and was wired. intrenched and
strongly defended with machine guns.
During this time he was repeatedly
and again severely wounded. He stiu
pushed forward and though isolated
and far in advance Of the assaulting
troops Of his battalion took a foothold
at the strong point and remainded
there until all OF his platoon except
seven men had been killed or wound
ed. and no member Of his automatic
rifle squad remained. He himself, at
their head and encouraging the sur
viyors by his indomitable resolution
had received nine wounds in all parts
Of his body, Of which at least four
were serious.
Alone and severely wounded he di-
rected the surviving members Of his
platoon TO return TO the rest OF their
company while he covered their move
ment This was finally and success
fully accomplished, during which he
held off the enemy, who were not
more than fifty yards away, through
his own unassisted efforts with his
automatic rifle, which with the neces-
sary ammunition he had while siill
leading the platoon taken from the
fallen members Of his automatic rifle
squad and with the greatest self sac
rifice and unspeakabIe heroism COW
cred the return Of the survivors Of
his fallen platoon.
This done, with difficulty he made
his way to the crest Of the hill. where
he was dragged 10 safety. This ex-
plot stands out after nine months Of
constant fighting of this company as
the strongest Of it's company tradi--
tons.
(signed) RICHARD 3. KELLY,
First Lieutenant, Z. s. A. 18TH Infy,
Commanding Co. @