THOMPSON, JOSEPH H. - Medal of Honor Recipient
Rank and organization: Major, U.S. Army, 110th Infantry, 28th Division.
Place and date: Near Apremont, France, 1 October 1918. Entered service
at: Beaver Falls, Pa. Born: 26 September 1871, Kilkeel, County Down, Ireland.
G.O. No.: 21, W.D., 1925. Citation: Counterattacked by 2 regiments of the
enemy, Maj. Thompson encouraged his battalion in the front line of constantly
braving the hazardous fire of machineguns and artillery. His courage was
mainly responsible for the heavy repulse of the enemy. Later in the action,
when the advance of his assaulting companies was held up by fire from a
hostile machinegun nest and all but 1 of the 6 assaulting tanks were disabled,
Maj. Thompson, with great gallantry and coolness, rushed forward on foot
3 separate times in advance of the assaulting line, under heavy machinegun
and antitank-gun fire, and led the 1 remaining tank to within a few yards
of the enemy machinegun nest, which succeeded in reducing it, thereby making
it possible for the infantry to advance.
This data was extracted from the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, U.S. Senate, Medal of Honor Recipients: 1863-1973 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1973)
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