Medal of Honor: Thomas Lee Hall, World War I, October 8, 1918

Name: Thomas Lee Hall
Rank: Sergeant
War: World War I
Date of Action: October 8, 1918
Unit: Company G, 118th Infantry Regiment, 30th Division
Entered Service At: Fort Mill, South Carolina
Born: Fort Mill, South Carolina

Summary of Action
At Montbrehain, France—the last major battle fought by American forces in World War I—Sergeant Thomas Hall led his platoon in a relentless drive through the German defenses. Under his leadership, two enemy machine gun nests were destroyed, clearing the way for the advance. But as his men neared their final objective, they were halted again—this time by a particularly deadly emplacement pouring fire across open ground. Ordering his platoon to take cover in a sunken road, Hall advanced alone. Moving steadily through the torrent of bullets, he reached the gun, stormed it, and killed five of its crew with his bayonet. His fearless assault broke the enemy’s line and allowed his men to resume the attack. Later that same day, while charging yet another machine gun nest, Sergeant Hall was struck and fatally wounded. His gallantry and self-sacrifice embodied the unyielding courage of the 30th Division, earning him a place among the immortal heroes of the Great War.

Medal of Honor Citation
HALL, THOMAS LEE
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company G, 118th Infantry, 30th Division. Place and date: Near Montbrehain, France, 8 October 1918. Entered service at: Fort Mill, S.C. Birth: Fort Mill, S.C. G.O. No.: 50, W.D., 1919. Citation: Having overcome 2 machinegun nests under his skillful leadership, Sgt. Hall’s platoon was stopped 800 yards from its final objective by machinegun fire of particular intensity. Ordering his men to take cover in a sunken road, he advanced alone on the enemy machinegun post and killed 5 members of the crew with his bayonet and thereby made possible the further advance of the line. While attacking another machinegun nest later in the day this gallant soldier was mortally wounded.