From Medal of Honor Citations for World War I:
BARKLEY, JOHN L.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S.
Army, Company K, 4th Infantry, 3d Division. Place and date: Near Cunel, France,
7 October 1918. Entered service at: Blairstown, Mo. Born: 28 August 1895
Blairstown, Mo. G.O. No.: 44, W.D., 1919. Citation: Pfc. Barkley, who was
stationed in an observation post half a kilometer from the German line, on his
own initiative repaired a captured enemy machinegun and mounted it in a disabled
French tank near his post. Shortly afterward, when the enemy launched a
counterattack against our forces, Pfc. Barkley got into the tank, waited under
the hostile barrage until the enemy line was abreast of him and then opened
fire, completely breaking up the counterattack and killing and wounding a large
number of the enemy. Five minutes later an enemy 77-millimeter gun opened fire
on the tank pointblank. One shell struck the drive wheel of the tank, but this
soldier nevertheless remained in the tank and after the barrage ceased broke up
a second enemy counterattack, thereby enabling our forces to gain and hold Hill
25.
We thank all our brave fighting men and women for their service to liberty, past, present, and future.
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