TN National Guard Medal of Honor Recipients
TN National Guard Medal of Honor Recipients
Joseph B. Adkison, born 4 Jan 1892 in Egypt, Tennessee, enlisted in the Tennessee Army National Guard in 1917 at the age of 25 and was assigned to C company, 119th infantry regiment, 30th division (Elliot, “A Soldiers Story: Sergeant Joseph Barnard Adkison). He deployed with the 30th division to Europe and participated in the allied offensive against the Hindenburg line. On 29 September 1918, Sergeant Adkison’s platoon was pinned down by machine gun fire. He rushed across 50 yards of open area directly at the machine gun nest, kicked the machine gun into the enemy trench and captured the three Germans manning the gun at bayonet point, allowing his platoon to continue his advance (“Joseph B. Adkison,” Congressional Medal of Honor Society).
Sergeant James E. Karnes, born 20 July 1889 in Arlington, Tennessee, enlisted in the Tennessee National Guard as part of D company, 117th infantry, 30th division on 10 July 1917 (Haas, “Tennessee Guardsmen in WWI”; “James Karnes,” Congressional Medal of Honor Society). He deployed to Europe with the 30th division and participated in the 100 days offensive. On 8 October 1918, Sergeant Ward’s company was held up by machine gun fire. Sergeant Karnes and Private Ward advanced on the gun and reduced it, killing 3 and capturing 7 Germans (“James Karnes,” Congressional Medal of Honor Society).
First Sergeant Milo Lemert, born 25 March 1890 in Marshalltown, Iowa, was a farmer before enlisting in the Tennessee Army National Guard in Crossville, Tennessee in 1917 at the age of 27 (“Milo Lemert,” East Tennessee Veterans Memorial Association). He was the first sergeant of G company, 117th infantry, 30th division during the allied offensive against the Hindenburg line. On 29 September 1918, G company’s left flank was under attack by a machine gun emplacement. First Sergeant Lemert charged the machine gun and destroyed it with grenades before following the trench ahead of his company destroying three other machine gun emplacements. First Sergeant Lemert died during his attack on the last emplacement. His efforts prevented massive casualties in his unit (“Milo Lemert,” Congressional Medal of Honor Society).
The Germans had suffered massive losses in 1916 at the Battle of Verdun and the Battle of the Somme and needed time to recover before committing more men to additional offensives. German leaders Erich von Falkenhayn, Paul von Hindenburg, and Erich Ludendorff were concerned about an advance from the Allies (Spaulding, “Hindenburg Line History & Location”). The Hindenburg Line ran between the Northern coast of France and Verdun. It became the most heavily defended German position on the Western Front (National Defence, “Government of Canada,” WWI – Hindenburg Line). The Line covered a zone 6,000 yards deep consisting of six defensive lines made up of trenches, concrete pillbox gun positions, and barbed wire. The Allies started an offensive against the line on 8 August 1918 and finally broke through on 29 September 1918.
The 30th Division, made up of the drafted National Guards from Tennessee, and North and South Carolina, (“Our History,” Tennessee Department of Military) along with the 27th Division of the New York National Guard were loaned to the British II Corps for the offensive against the Hindenburg Line (Durr, “NY Guard Soldiers Broke Hindenburg Line 100 Years Ago”). These National Guard units were responsible for breaking through the line. Both 1SG Milo Lemert and SGT Joseph B. Adkison were awarded the medal of honor for their actions during that offensive.
Sergeant Edward R. Talley, born 6 September 1890 in Russellville, Tennessee, enlisted in the Tennessee National Guard as a part of L company, 3rd infantry in 1909 for 3 years, and then joined again in 1917 as part of L company, 117th infantry, 30th division (“Our History,” Tennessee Department of Military). He deployed with the 30th division to Europe and participated in the 100 days offensive. On 7 October 1918, several of Sergeant Talley’s comrades had been killed by a machine gun. Sergeant Talley attacked the nest by himself in the face of intense fire and wounded or killed 6 of the gun’s crew members. When the Germans tried to replace the machine gun, Sergeant Talley held them back with rifle fire (Durr, “NY Guard Soldiers Broke Hindenburg Line 100 Years Ago”).
Private Calvin J. Ward, born 30 October 1899 in Greene County, Tennessee, enlisted in the Tennessee National Guard as part of D company, 117th infantry, 30th division on 14 July 1917 at the age of 17 (“Our History,” Tennessee Department of Military). He deployed to Europe with the 30th division and participated in the 100 days offensive. On 8 October 1918, Private Ward’s company was held up by machine gun fire. Private Ward and Sergeant Karnes advanced on the gun and reduced it, killing 3 and capturing 7 Germans (“Calvin Ward,” Congressional Medal of Honor Society).
