|
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company M, 107th Infantry,
42d Division. Place and date: Near Landres-et-St. Georges, France, 16 October
1918. Entered service at: Sugar City, Idaho. Born: 17 May 1898, Sharon,
Idaho. G.O. No.: 1 18, W .D., 1918. Citation: On the afternoon of 16 October
1918, when the Cote-de-Chatillion had just been gained after bitter fighting
and the summit of that strong bulwark in the Kriemhilde Stellung was being
organized, Pvt. Neibaur was sent out on patrol with his automatic rifle
squad to enfilade enemy machinegun nests. As he gained the ridge he set
up his automatic rifle and was directly thereafter wounded in both legs
by fire from a hostile machinegun on his flank. The advance wave of the
enemy troops, counterattacking, had about gained the ridge, and although
practically cut off and surrounded, the remainder of his detachment being
killed or wounded, this gallant soldier kept his automatic rifle in operation
to such effect that by his own efforts and by fire from the skirmish line
of his company, at least 100 yards in his rear, the attack was checked.
The enemy wave being halted and Iying prone, 4 of the enemy attacked Pvt.
Neibaur at close quarters. These he killed. He then moved alone among the
enemy Iying on the ground about him, in the midst of the fire from his
own lines, and by coolness and gallantry captured 11 prisoners at the point
of his pistol and, although painfully wounded, brought them back to our
lines. The counterattack in full force was arrested to a large extent by
the single efforts of this soldier, whose heroic exploits took place against
the skyline in full view of his entire battalion.
This data was extracted from the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, U.S. Senate, Medal of Honor Recipients: 1863-1973 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1973)
| | |