Hanford MacNider - War Hero

MACNIDER

Posted By: S. Ferrall (email)
Date: 8/2/2004 at 04:47:34

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS
Hanford MacNider, captain, 9th Infantry. For extraordinary heroism in action near Medeah Farm, France, October 3-9, 1918. He voluntarily joined an attacking battalion on October 3 and accompanied it to its final objectives. During the second attack on the same day he acted as a runner through heavy artillery and machine gun fire. He visited the lines both night and day, where the fighting was most severe. When higher authority could not be reached, he assumed responsibilities and gave the necessary orders to stabilize serious situations. When new and untried troops took up the attack he joined their forward elements, determined the enemy points of resistance by personal reconnaissance, uncovered enemy machine gun nests and supervised their destruction.

Capt. McNider is also awarded an oak leaf cluster, to be worn with Distinguished Service cross, for the following act of extraordinary heroism in action near Remenauville, France, September 12, 1918: On duty as regimental adjutant, while carrying instructions to the assulting lines, he found the line unable to advance and being disorganized by a heavy machine gun fire. Running forward in the face of the fire, this officer captured a German machine gun, drove off the crew, reorganized the line on that flank, and thereby enabled the advance to continue.

Residence at appointment: 232 Second Street, Mason City, Iowa

-source: Official Register, State of Iowa 1921-1922, Twenty-Ninth Number, Military Decorations of Iowans in the World War, pg. 367

-transcribed by Sharyl Ferrall