42nd Division
Manning, Sidney E., Corporal, Co. C, 167th Infantry, 42nd Division, Flomaton, Ala.—Breuvannes, France, July 28, 1918. When his platoon commander and platoon sergeant had both become casualties soon after the beginning of an assault on strongly fortified heights overlooking the Ourcq River, Corporal Manning took command of his platoon, which was near the center of the attacking line. Though himself severely wounded, he led forward the thirty-five men remaining in the platoon, and finally succeeded in gaining a foothold on enemy position, during which time he had received more wounds, and all but seven of his men had fallen. Directing the consolidation of the position, he held off a large body of the enemy only fifty yards away by fire from his automatic rifle. He declined to take cover until the line had been entirely consolidated with the line of the platoon on the flank, when he dragged himself to shelter, suffering from nine wounds in all parts of the body.
Neibaur, Thomas C., Private, Co. M, 167th Infantry, 42nd Division, Sumner City, Idaho.—Landers, St. Georges, France, Oct. 16, 1918. On the afternoon of Oct. 16, 1918, when the Côte de Chatillon had just been gained after bitter fighting and the summit of that strong bulwark in the Kriemhilde Stellung was being organized, Private Neibaur was sent out on patrol with his automatic-rifle squad to enfilade enemy machine-gun nests. As he gained the ridge he set up his automatic rifle and was directly thereafter wounded in both legs by fire from a hostile machine gun on his flank. The advance wave of the enemy troops counter-attacking had about gained the ridge; and, although practically cut off and surrounded, the remainder of his detachment being killed or wounded, this gallant soldier kept his automatic rifle in operation to such effect that by his own efforts and by fire from the skirmish line of his company, at least 100 yards in his rear, the attack was checked. The enemy wave being halted and lying prone, four of the enemy attacked Private Neibaur at close quarters. These he killed. He then moved along among the enemy lying on the ground about him. In the midst of the fire from his own lines, and by coolness and gallantry, he captured eleven prisoners at the point of his pistol, and, although painfully wounded, brought them back to our lines. The counter-attack in full force was arrested, to a large extent, by the single efforts of this soldier, whose heroic exploits took place against the sky line in full view of his entire battalion.