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U.S. Army

John Cantey Villepigue

ConflictWorld War I

Year of Action1918

Unit/CommandCompany M, 118th Infantry Regiment, 30th Division

BirthplaceCamden, South Carolina

Citation

Having been sent out with 2 other soldiers to scout through the village of Vaux-Andigny, he met with strong resistance from enemy machinegun fire, which killed 1 of his men and wounded the other. Continuing his advance without aid 500 yards in advance of his platoon and in the face of machinegun and artillery fire he encountered 4 of the enemy in a dugout, whom he attacked and killed with a handgrenade. Crawling forward to a point 150 yards in advance of his first encounter, he rushed a machinegun nest, killing 4 and capturing 6 of the enemy and taking 2 light machineguns. After being joined by his platoon he was severely wounded in the arm.

Branch: U.S. Army Conflict: World War I Year of Action: 1918