Joseph Bernard Adkison (January 4, 1892 – May 23, 1965) was an American soldier serving in the U.S. Army during World War I who received the Medal of Honor for bravery.

Biography

Adkison was born in

Egypt, Tennessee Egypt is an American populated place in Shelby County, Tennessee at . Its elevation is . Joseph B. Adkison, a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions in World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviat ...

, and entered the Army in 1917 in Memphis. He lived in

Atoka, Tennessee Atoka () is a local government area with a town charter in Tipton County, Tennessee, United States. In 1888, Atoka was a stop on thNewport News & Mississippi Valley Railroad Today the City of New Orleans Amtrak passenger train makes its dail ...

, when he entered the army. By mid-1918, Adkison and his division were involved in combat in France. On September 29, 1918, near Bellicourt, France, Adkison, by then a

Sergeant Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...

, found himself and his platoon pinned down by heavy German machine gun fire located fifty yards to their front. Adkison, acting alone, charged the machine gun nest, kicked it over into the enemy trench, and using the

bayonet A bayonet (from French ) is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit on the end of the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar firearm, allowing it to be used as a spear-like weapon.Brayley, Martin, ''Bayonets: An Illustr ...

fixed on his rifle captured the three man machine gun crew, allowing his platoon to advance. He was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1919, and was one of six soldiers from Tennessee to receive that medal for their service during the First World War. Another of the six was Alvin York, subject of the film ''

Sergeant York Alvin Cullum York (December 13, 1887 – September 2, 1964), also known as Sergeant York, was one of the most decorated United States Army soldiers of World War I. He received the Medal of Honor for leading an attack on a German machine ...

'' starring actor Gary Cooper. Adkison received the Medal of Honor at the Atoka Presbyterian Church. The church had a stone monument made to honor the occasion. The Atoka Board of Mayor and Aldermen named a street in his honor. Adkison Circle passes in front of the property and home his mother bought in 1906. During Tennessee Homecoming '86, the stone from the church was moved to a newly named Adkison Park, also in front of his home in the Town of Atoka. Adkison died in 1965, and is buried at Salem Cemetery next to the Salem Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church near the Town of

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 119th Infantry, 30th Division. Place and date: At Bellicourt, France; September 29, 1918. Entered service at: Memphis Tennessee. Born: January 4, 1892; Egypt, Tennessee. General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 59 (May 3, 1919). Citation:

When murderous machinegun fire at a range of 50 yards had made it impossible for his platoon to advance, and had caused the platoon to take cover Sergeant. Adkison alone, with the greatest intrepidity, rushed across the 50 yards of open ground directly into the face of the hostile machinegun kicked the gun from the parapet into the enemy trench, and at the point of the bayonet captured the 3 men manning the gun. The gallantry and quick decision of this soldier enabled the platoon to resume its advance.

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Adkison, Joseph B. 1892 births 1965 deaths United States Army Medal of Honor recipients United States Army non-commissioned officers United States Army personnel of World War I People from Tipton County, Tennessee World War I recipients of the Medal of Honor Military personnel from Tennessee Burials in Tennessee

Biography

Medal of Honor citation

See also

References