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Nels Wold: Difference between revisions

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==Military service==
The son of Norwegian immigrants, Wold joined the Army from [[Minnewaukan, North Dakota]], and served as a [[Private (rank)|private]] in Company I, [[138th Infantry Regiment (United States)|138th Infantry Regiment]], [[35th Infantry Division (United States)|35th Division]] and was trained as a [[Chauchat]] gunner.<ref name=citation>{{Cite web |publisher=[[United States Army Center of Military History]] |title=Medal of Honor recipients - World War I |work=Medal of Honor citations |date=July 16, 2007 |url=http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/worldwari.html |accessdate = 2008-06-09 }}</ref> At the start of the [[Meuse-Argonne Offensive]] on September 26, 1918, his [[battalion]] was tasked with capturing the [[France|French]] village of [[Cheppy]].<ref>Kenamore, p. 98</ref> Wold's platoon, at the battalion's far left flank, was to act as a communication link between the battalion and the neighboring [[137th Infantry Regiment]]. However, thick fog caused the platoon to lose contact with both the 137th and its own battalion immediately after the advance on Cheppy began. The platoon continued forward as a combat patrol until encountering a group of American [[Reconnaissance|scouts]] led by Lieutenant John Wingate.<ref>Kenamore, p. 102</ref> Wingate combined the two groups and led them behind [[Germany|German]] lines, with the intention of attacking the Germans from the rear and thus clearing the way for the American advance.<ref name=Kenamore103>Kenamore, p. 103</ref>
 
Upon reaching the German rear outside Cheppy, with the fog lifted, the group began destroying enemy positions one at a time.<ref name=Kenamore103/> One well-placed [[machine gun]] nest, located in a clump of bushes, was deemed too dangerous to attack head-on. Wold asked for and received permission to crawl up to the position and investigate. While the rest of the group took cover, he crept up to the rear of the emplacement, killed two occupants, and captured the remaining three. As the group continued on, clearing [[ambuscade]]s, [[sniper]] posts, and gun emplacements, Wold volunteered four more times to single-handedly attack machine gun nests. He was successful each time except the last.<ref>Kenamore, p. 104</ref> He was killed by machine gun fire while penetrating a camouflage screen which concealed the fifth emplacement. His comrades then charged the position, killed the occupants and recovered Wold's body.<ref>Kenamore, p. 105</ref>