Joseph B. Adkinson

Infobox Military Person
name= Joseph B. Adkinson
born= birth date|1892|1|4
died= death date and age|1965|5|23|1892|1|4
placeofbirth= Egypt, Tennessee
placeofdeath= Atoka, Tennessee
placeofburial= Atoka, Tennessee


caption= Joseph B. Adkinson, Medal of Honor recipient
nickname=
allegiance=flag|United States of America
branch= United States Army
serviceyears= 1903-1921
rank= Sergeant
commands=
unit=
battles= World War I
awards= Medal of Honor
laterwork=

Joseph Bernard Adkinson (January 4, 1892–May 23, 1965) was an American soldier serving in the U.S. Army during World War I who was awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery.

Biography

Adkinson was born in Egypt, Tennessee, and entered the army in 1917 in Memphis. By mid-1918, Adkinson and his division were involved in combat in France. On September 29, 1918, near Bellicourt, France, Adkinson, by then a Sergeant, found he and his platoon pinned down by heavy German machine gun fire located fifty yards to their front.

Adkinson, acting alone, charged the machine gun nest, kicked it over into the enemy trench, and using the bayonet fixed on his rifle captured the three man machine gun crew, allowing his platoon to advance forward. He was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1919, and was one of six soldiers from Tennessee to receive that medal for their service during the First World War. Another of the six was Alvin York, subject of the film "Sergeant York" starring actor Gary Cooper.

Adkinson died in 1965, and is buried in Atoka, Tennessee.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 119th Infantry, 30th Division. Place and date: Near Bellicourt, France, September 29, 1918. Entered service at: Memphis, Tenn. Born: January 4, 1892, Egypt, Tenn. G.O. No.: 59, W.D., 1919.

Citation:

:When murderous machinegun fire at a range of 50 yards had made it impossible for his platoon to advance, and had caused the platoon to take cover Sergeant. Adkinson alone, with the greatest intrepidity, rushed across the 50 yards of open ground directly into the face of the hostile machinegun kicked the gun from the parapet into the enemy trench, and at the point of the bayonet captured the 3 men manning the gun. The gallantry and quick decision of this soldier enabled the platoon to resume its advance.

ee also

*List of Medal of Honor recipients
*List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War I

References

*findagrave|22718 Retrieved on 2007-10-24
* [http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/citations_1918_wwi/adkinson.html Home of Heros]
* [http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/citations_1918_wwi/adkinson.html Joseph Adkinson MOH citation]

Persondata
NAME= Adkinson, Joseph B.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army Medal of Honor recipient
DATE OF BIRTH= January 4, 1892
PLACE OF BIRTH= Egypt, Tennessee
DATE OF DEATH= May 23, 1965
PLACE OF DEATH= Atoka, Tennessee