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William Bradford Turner

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William Bradford Turner Famous memorial Veteran

Birth
Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, USA
Death
27 Sep 1918 (aged 25)
Ronssoy, Departement de la Somme, Picardie, France
Burial
Bony, Departement de l'Aisne, Picardie, France Add to Map
Plot
Plot B, Row 13, Grave 1.
Memorial ID
View Source
World War I Medal of Honor Recipient. He served in the United States Army during World War I as a First Lieutenant in the 105th Infantry, 27th Division and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism on September 27, 1918 at Ronssoy, France. His CMOH citation reads "He led a small group of men to the attack, under terrific artillery and machinegun fire, after they had become separated from the rest of the company in the darkness. Single handed he rushed an enemy machinegun which had suddenly opened fire on his group and killed the crew with his pistol. He then pressed forward to another machinegun post 25 yards away and had killed 1 gunner himself by the time the remainder of his detachment arrived and put the gun out of action. With the utmost bravery he continued to lead his men over 3 lines of hostile trenches, cleaning up each one as they advanced, regardless of the fact that he had been wounded 3 times, and killed several of the enemy in hand to hand encounters. After his pistol ammunition was exhausted, this gallant officer seized the rifle of a dead soldier, bayoneted several members of a machinegun crew, and shot the other. Upon reaching the fourth-line trench, which was his objective, 1st Lt. Turner captured it with the 9 men remaining in his group and resisted a hostile counterattack until he was finally surrounded and killed". His Medal was posthumously awarded to him in 1919.
World War I Medal of Honor Recipient. He served in the United States Army during World War I as a First Lieutenant in the 105th Infantry, 27th Division and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism on September 27, 1918 at Ronssoy, France. His CMOH citation reads "He led a small group of men to the attack, under terrific artillery and machinegun fire, after they had become separated from the rest of the company in the darkness. Single handed he rushed an enemy machinegun which had suddenly opened fire on his group and killed the crew with his pistol. He then pressed forward to another machinegun post 25 yards away and had killed 1 gunner himself by the time the remainder of his detachment arrived and put the gun out of action. With the utmost bravery he continued to lead his men over 3 lines of hostile trenches, cleaning up each one as they advanced, regardless of the fact that he had been wounded 3 times, and killed several of the enemy in hand to hand encounters. After his pistol ammunition was exhausted, this gallant officer seized the rifle of a dead soldier, bayoneted several members of a machinegun crew, and shot the other. Upon reaching the fourth-line trench, which was his objective, 1st Lt. Turner captured it with the 9 men remaining in his group and resisted a hostile counterattack until he was finally surrounded and killed". His Medal was posthumously awarded to him in 1919.

Bio by: Soorus


Inscription

1 LIEUT. 105 INF. 27 DIV.



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  • Maintained by: Find a Grave
  • Originally Created by: Soorus
  • Added: Dec 4, 2003
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8154565/william_bradford-turner: accessed ), memorial page for William Bradford Turner (28 Feb 1893–27 Sep 1918), Find a Grave Memorial ID 8154565, citing Somme American Cemetery and Memorial, Bony, Departement de l'Aisne, Picardie, France; Maintained by Find a Grave.