The following letter has been received from Corporal Michael
Carter of the Signal Corps, 361st Infantry, A. E. F., Belgium:
"Dear ---------,
"Received a bunch of mail from you since I
wrote last. I have been pretty busy for some time
past; Have been 'over the top', helping to chase the
Huns. Have been in one of the big drives you have read so
much about. You may also have read of our Division, as you know
which one I belong to. It has made a good name. Well,
I have been pretty lucky, and I feel I have somebody's good
prayers.
"A bullet just hit my elbow; the
wound was so slight I did not have to get it dressed.
Another time I had my gun shot to pieces, but one does not mind
that a bit. I just went ahead and did my duty. One knows no
fear under fire. I am still in the signal corps: like
it pretty well, but have found it very responsible work as the
lives of comrades depend on you all the time. It's nice to go out
on a telephone wire and make twenty splices in ten yards.
"Have been pretty busy for the past few
months, but it seems the close of the war is at hand. It
seems funny not to hear the guns roar. The day the armistice
was signed was the first day the music ceased to our ears since
Sept. 12. I went over the top the first time on Sept.
26. We advanced 12 miles that day and gained our
objective. We were in some tough fighting, but I escaped
with a few minor experiences. You would never forget it if you
were along. It was mighty uncomfortable, but something one may
well be proud of. To strike a blow for American boys is a
pleasure, they never retreat, though they suffer. Enough
about war, now that the job is finished, I hope I can visit home
before returning to the U.S.
"Kind regards to relatives and friends,
(Corporal) Michael Carter.
Corporal Carter has been awarded the medal for
distinguished bravery.
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L. A. SOLDIER
IN HERO CLASS
------
Corp. Michael Carter Wins Service Cross; Dead
Corona Man Also Honored
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The distinguished service cross has been conferred upon Corporal
Michael Carter, 240 South Griffen avenue for bravery in action
according to an announcement made by the War Department
yesterday. Carter is a cousin of T. F. Carter, who resides
at the Griffen avenue address. His parents reside in
Ireland. Before enlisting he was a stationary engineer
employed at Santa Barbara and when in Los Angeles made his home
with his cousin.
Shortly after the beginning of the war Carter
enlisted and was sent to France with the 361st Infantry. The
action for which he was cited was on September 28. Carter
was attached to the signal section of a battalion near Gesnes.
"He repeatedly spliced telephone wires in
the midst of heavy artillery and machine gun fire during the
attack and displayed exceptional coolness and personal bravery and
aided materially in maintaining communication between battalion
and regimental posts," reads the army citation.
Another Southern Californian to win the
distinguished service cross was Private Chester S. Husted of
Corona. Husted was killed in the action that brought him the
medal. He was in the Marines and attached to a machine gun
corps. Near Blanc Mont he volunteered to carry an important
message through a heavy machine gun barrage. This action
cost him his life. "He displayed great personal
bravery."
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BAKERSFIELD MAN
REPAIRED BREAK IN LINE AS HUNS BIG GUNS ROARED
-----
Michael Carter Given Medal for Extraordinary Valor While Under
Fire
-----
Michael Carter, engineer at the Mercy hospital, and who has just
returned from France, where he spent several months on the battle
front, was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal by the United
States government for extraordinary bravery displayed in the battling
of the Argonne.
Upon arrival in San Francisco a short time ago,
Carter's comrades made no secret of the fact that he was a man of
the first water, though nothing could be found out of the matter
through the man himself. After much investigation by newspaper
reporters and friends it was finally developed that Carter did
earn the cross of honor stowed away in his mess kit, and the story
of his actions which won the cross leaked out.
During a heavy enemy barrage in the battle of
the Argonne, a high explosive shell broke the line of
communication between headquarters and outposts, Carter, observing
the break in the line dashed out, in the face of the terrible
barrage, and, without receiving a scratch repaired the
wire. For this act of courage he was presented with
the Distinguished Service Medal in France.
Carter seems to be of a modest position, as he returned
to Bakersfield and assumed the position as engineer at the Mercy
hospital without mention of his experiences of the war. |
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BAKERSFIELD
BOY GETS
MEDAL FOR BRAVERY |
Rev. Mr. Bradley has just been advised that Corporal Michael Carter of
Bakersfield has been decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross
for heroic action in battle. Corporal Carter before joining the
army, was engineer at the Mercy hospital and an electrician of much
skill. The order citing him stated he repeatedly spliced telephone
wires during a heavy artillery and machine gun fire, displaying at all
times exceptional coolness and greet personal bravery.
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T H E T I D I N G S
.
September 20, 1929
Los Angeles Hero
______
Corporal Michael Carter, an Irish Catholic of Los Angeles, California, is
the proud possessor of the Distinguished Service Cross, awarded for his extraordinary
heroism in the World War.
Corporal Carter, of Headquarters Company, 361st
Infantry, 91st Division, was attached to the Signal Section of the
attacking battalion of his regiment.
In the course of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, near
Gesnes, France, Sept. 28, 1918, disregarding a continuous rain of heavy
artillery projectiles and machine-gun fire, Corporal Carter repeatedly
spliced telephone wires, thus aiding materially in maintaining
communication between battalion and regimental command posts.
For this exhibition of "exceptional coolness and
personal bravery," the War Department, in General Orders No. 15,
January 21, 1919, awarded the Corporal his D. S. C.
Michael Carter's name appears on the World War Honor
Roll of Bakersfield, Council, No. 977, Knights of Columbus, Bakersfield,
California.
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