Joseph B. Adkinson

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Joseph B. Adkinson
January 4, 1892 (1892-01-04) – May 23, 1965 (aged 73)
Joseph B. Adkinson, Medal of Honor recipient
Place of birth	Egypt, Tennessee
Place of death	Atoka, Tennessee
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1903-1921
Rank	Sergeant
Battles/wars	World War I
Awards	Medal of Honor

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

Adkinson was born in Egypt, Tennessee, and entered the army in 1917 in Memphis. By mid-1918, Adkinson and his division were involved in combat in France. On 29 September 1918, near Bellicourt, France, Adkinson, by then a Sergeant, found he and his platoon pinned down by heavy German machine gun fire located fifty yards to their front.

Adkinson, acting alone, charged the machine gun nest, kicked it over into the enemy trench, and using the bayonet fixed on his rifle captured the three man machine gun crew, allowing his platoon to advance forward. 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 starring actor Gary Cooper.

Adkinson died in 1965, and is buried in Atoka, Tennessee.

[edit] Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 119th Infantry, 30th Division. Place and date: Near Bellicourt, France, 29 September 1918. Entered service at: Memphis, Tenn. Born: 4 January 1892, Egypt, Tenn. G.O. No.: 59, W.D., 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. Adkinson 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.