Medal of Honor: Matej Kocak – World War I, July 18, 1918

Name: Matej Kocak
Rank: Sergeant
Conflict: World War I
Unit: 66th Company, 5th Marine Regiment, 2nd Division, U.S. Marine Corps
Date of Action: July 18, 1918
Location: Near Soissons, France (Viller-Cotterêts Sector)

Summary of Action:
As the Allied forces launched a powerful counteroffensive to drive back the Germans near Soissons on July 18, 1918, Sergeant Matej Kocak, a Slovak-born U.S. Marine, charged into history.

When his battalion's advance was suddenly halted by a well-hidden enemy machine gun nest, the situation grew dire. The terrain offered little cover, and withering fire from multiple enemy positions pinned down the advancing Americans. Rather than order others forward, Sgt. Kocak rose alone, without support or covering fire, and crawled forward under direct fire from enemy covering detachments.

Moving with lethal intent, he infiltrated between German positions, found the machine gun nest, and rushed it head-on, driving off the crew with his bayonet and silencing the gun that had stalled the advance.

But Kocak’s valor did not end there.

Later that same day, he came upon a group of 25 French colonial soldiers who had become separated from their unit in the confusion of battle. Recognizing the opportunity and refusing to rest, he took command of the group, rallied them under his leadership, and led a bold assault on a second enemy machine gun nest, again putting it out of action.

Sergeant Kocak’s fearless initiative and repeated acts of heroism, carried out under intense fire and with no thought for his own safety, paved the way for the advance of Allied troops and turned the tide of the fight in his sector. For his actions, he was awarded both the Army and Navy Medals of Honor, one of only a handful in American history to receive this rare double distinction.

Army Medal of Honor Citation:
When the advance of his battalion was checked by a hidden machinegun nest, he went forward alone, unprotected by covering fire from his own men, and worked in between the German positions in the face of fire from enemy covering detachments. Locating the machinegun nest, he rushed it and with his bayonet drove off the crew. Shortly after this he organized 25 French colonial soldiers who had become separated from their company and led them in attacking another machinegun nest, which was also put out of action.

Navy Medal of Honor Citation:
For extraordinary heroism while serving with the 66th Company, 5th Regiment, 2d Division, in action in the Viller-Cottertes section, south of Soissons, France, 18 July 1918. When a hidden machinegun nest halted the advance of his battalion, Sgt. Kocak went forward alone unprotected by covering fire and worked his way in between the German positions in the face of heavy enemy fire. Rushing the enemy position with his bayonet, he drove off the crew. Later the same day, Sgt. Kocak organized French colonial soldiers who had become separated from their company and led them in an attack on another machinegun nest which was also put out of action.