The Washington times., 1921-11-06
By SGT. SAMUEL WOODFILL.
(america's Greatest Living HerOD
The Fifth Divisions Ace Of
DiamOnds.)


AS n first lieutenant I was sent 10
the Sixtieth U. S. Infantry OF the Fifth
Division late in 1917. My regiment
embarked at Hoboken and sailec on
the Transport Philadelphia, April Id,
1918. While In active training al
Hadol Basse and Hadel Haute. during
which we did. principally patrolling'
i met with a severe accident which
sent me TO the hospital.
On August 20. 1918, the regiment
was relieved In Afsace and started
marching TO the st. Mihiel sector.
Our mission here having been com
pleted under Major Lee ID. Davis, we
proceeded TO Blercourt in the Ar
gonne by truck. arriving there oc'
tober 4.
In the Argonne while advancing
enemy machine gunners and artillery
concentrated a heavy fire on us.
Some dropped into shell holes. !
was forced TO take cover In a dummy
trench. not deep enough TO hide the
pack on my back. They kept up a
heavy string OF fire, knocking arr
and rock over me and puncturing my
raincoat. Fritz had me guessing.
I wrote a farewell note on the
back OF a little photo OF dear
loved one. my wife. I did not ex-
pect to survive. However, the enemy
being pushed by Yank troops, sud
denly ceased firing. This was while
relieving the 3l9th infantry. The
relief was completed.
At daylight October 12 we were or
dered over the top for combat recon
naissance. A terrific barrage forced
us to dig in for shelter. The enemy
was heavily entrenched and shroud-
ed. l saw the necessity for quick
action and signaling several men to
follow me, l crept by detouring on a
gun position / could see.
l slid my rifle forward. raised on
my elbows and killed five gunners
In the pit. One enemy runner at
tempted to retreat. / killed him with
my pistol.
l dashed to cover Of brush and ran
to disarm me. killed him with my
into officer in hiding. He attempted
automatic.
There was continuous firing by this
time. The enemy had been seeping
through and was sweeping the woods
with fire. Having lost control Of my
company in the dense wilderness, 1
continued to advance by taking cover.
/ located another machine gun after
a short distance. Crawling TO a flank
posltlOn bnlpeu tklIIeOJ i've OF the
crew and silenced the gun. crept
closer to II and encountered three
Germans carrying ammunition TO the
gun I had Just silenced. We saw
each other at the same time. They
yelled "kamerad" and dropped their
equipment. l captured and sent them
to the rear,
advanced but short distance
when I encountered a third machine
gun and using the same methods !
had before applied I worked my way
to a flank and killed five OF the gun
ners as they took their places at the
gun. Heavy overhead fire forced me
to jump into an enemy trench for
cover.
As / dashed into II nearly Jumped
on two Germans crouching there. One
of them recahed for his luger. fired
first. He doubled up.
The second was reaching for his
rifle. I squeezed my trigger, but my
automatic failed to go off.
/ dropped II and seized an intrench-
ing tool nearby and dealt a crushing
blow on his head, and as I turned l
saw the other had regained his pistol
and he was dispatched in the same
manner.
This is my version OF the actual con-
flict