Unknown County ND Archives Military Records.....Smith, Fred E. 1918 WWI 308th Infantry, 77th Division ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nd/ndfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 9, 2007, 10:19 pm Congressional Medal Of Honor Citation Fred E. Smith, lieutenant colonel, 308th Infantry, 77th Division. For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy near Binarville, France, September 28, 1918. When communication from the forward regimental post of command to the battalion leading the advance had been interrupted temporarily by the infiltration of small parties of the enemy armed with machine guns, Lieut. Col. Smith personally led a party of 2 other officers and 10 soldiers, and went forward to reestablish runner posts and carry ammunition to the front line. The guide became confused and the party strayed to the left flank beyond the outposts of supporting troops, suddenly coming under fire from a group of enemy machine guns only 50 yards away. Shouting to the other members of his party to take cover, this officer, in disregard of his own danger, drew his pistol and opened fire on the German gun crew. About this time he fell, severely wounded in the side, but, regaining his footing, he continued to fire on the enemy until most of the men in his party were out of danger. Refusing first-aid treatment he then made his way in plain view of the enemy to a hand-grenade dump and returned under continued heavy machine-gun fire for the purpose of making another attack on the enemy emplacements. As he was attempting to ascertain the exact location of the nearest nest, he again fell, mortally wounded. Emergency address: Mrs. Clara R. Smith, wife, 646 East Sixtieth Street, Portland, Oreg. Entered military service from North Dakota. Additional Comments: Extracted from: CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS AND THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL ISSUED BY THE WAR DEPARTMENT Since April 6, 1917 Up to and including General Orders, No. 126, War Department, November 11, 1919 COMPILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL OF THE ARMY WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1920 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nd/unknown/military/ww1/other/smith2gmt.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ndfiles/ File size: 2.6 Kb