Samuel Woodfill

 Woodfill, Samuel, first lieutenant, Company M, 60th Infantry; at Cunel, France, October 12, 1918.  While Lieutenant Woodfill was leading his company against the enemy his line came under heavy machine gun fire, which threatened to hold up the advance.  Following two soldiers at 25 yards, this officer went out ahead of his first line toward a machine gun nest and worked his way around its flank, leaving the two soldiers in front.  When he got within ten yards of the gun it ceased firing and four of the enemy appeared, three of whom were shot by Lieutenant Woodfill.  The fourth, an officer, rushed at Lieutenant Woodfill, who attempted to club the officer with his rifle; after a hand-to-hand struggle, Lieutenant Woodfill killed the officer with his pistol.  His company thereupon continued to advance until shortly afterward another machine gun nest was encountered.  Calling on his men to follow, Lieutenant Woodfill rushed ahead of his line in the face of heavy fire from the nest and when several of the enemy appeared above the nest he shot them, capturing three other members of the crew and silencing the gun.  A few minutes later this officer for the third time demonstrated conspicuous daring by charging another machine gun position, killing five men in one machine gun pit with his rifle.  He then drew his revolver and started to jump into the put, when two other gunners only a few yards away turned their guns on him.  Failing to kill them with his revolver, he grabbed a pick lying nearby and killed both of them.  Inspired by the exceptional courage displayed by this officer, his men pressed on to their objective under severe shell and machine gun fire.  Home address: Mrs. Blossom Woodfill, wife, 167 Alexandria Pike, Fort Thomas, Ky.

From the Paris Edition of Stars and Stripes, March 14, 1919