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U.S. Marine CorpsAwarded Posthumously
Kocak, Matej
Kocak, Matej

ConflictWorld War I
Year of Action1918
Unit/Command66th Rifle Company, 5th Regiment, 4th Marine Brigade, 2nd Division

Citation

Navy Medal of Honor: For extraordinary heroism while serving with the 66th Company, 5th Regiment, 2d Division, in action in the Viller-Cottertes section, south of Soissons, France, 18 July 1918. When a hidden machine-gun nest halted the advance of his battalion, Sgt. Kocak went forward alone unprotected by covering fire and worked his way in between the German positions in the face of heavy enemy fire. Rushing the enemy position with his bayonet, he drove off the crew. Later the same day, Sgt. Kocak organized French colonial soldiers who had become separated from their company and led them in an attack on another machine-gun nest which was also put out of action.

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