By direction of the President, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved July 9, 1918 (Bul. No. 43, W.D., 1918), Corporal Clarence L. Hinkle (ASN: 280705), United States Army, is cited for gallantry in action and a silver star may be placed upon the ribbon of the Victory Medals awarded him. Corporal Hinkle distinguished himself by gallantry in action while serving with Company I, 126th Infantry Regiment, 32d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, in action near Gesnes, France, 5 October 1918, by crawling in advance of his squad and silencing an enemy machine gun by sniping fire.