
U.S. Army
Donovan, William Joseph "Wild Bill"
ConflictWorld War I
RankMajor General
Year of Action1918
Unit/Command165th Infantry, 42nd Division
HometownBuffalo, New York
Citation
Lt. Col. Donovan personally led the assaulting wave in an attack upon a very strongly organized position, and when our troops were suffering heavy casualties he encouraged all near him by his example, moving among his men in exposed positions, reorganizing decimated platoons, and accompanying them forward in attacks. When he was wounded in the leg by machine-gun bullets, he refused to be evacuated and continued with his unit until it withdrew to a less exposed position.
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