Medal of Honor: Ralyn M. Hill, World War I, October 7, 1918

Name: Ralyn M. Hill
Rank: Corporal
War: World War I
Date of Action: October 7, 1918
Unit: Company H, 129th Infantry Regiment, 33d Division
Entered Service At: Oregon, Illinois
Born: May 6, 1899, Lindenwood, Illinois

Summary of Action
During the fighting near Donnevoux, France, Corporal Ralyn Hill witnessed a French aircraft spiraling down across the Meuse River, crashing deep inside German-held territory. Without orders and under a hail of machine gun and artillery fire, Hill dashed across a narrow footbridge to reach the wreck. Finding the pilot badly wounded but alive, he hoisted the man onto his back and began the perilous journey back across the bridge. Enemy rounds tore up the ground around him, but Hill refused to drop his burden. Step by step, he carried the French aviator several hundred yards to safety on the American side of the river. His astonishing act of courage—performed alone, unarmed, and under relentless fire—saved a life and embodied the valor that defines the spirit of the American soldier.

Medal of Honor Citation
HILL, RALYN M.
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army, Company H, 129th Infantry, 33d Division. Place and date: Near Donnevoux, France, 7 October 1918. Entered service at: Oregon, Ill. Born: 6 May 1899, Lindenwood, Ill. G.O. No.: 34, W.D., 1919. Citation: Seeing a French airplane fall out of control on the enemy side of the Meuse River with its pilot injured, Cpl. Hill voluntarily dashed across the footbridge to the side of the wounded man and, taking him on his back, started back to his lines. During the entire exploit he was subjected to murderous fire of enemy machineguns and artillery, but he successfully accomplished his mission and brought his man to a place of safety, a distance of several hundred yards.