The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Sergeant Joseph B. Adkinson (ASN: 1315019), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company C, 119th Infantry, 30th Division at Bellicourt, France on 29 September 1918. When murderous machinegun fire at a range of 50 yards had made it impossible for his platoon to advance, and had caused the platoon to take cover Sergeant Adkinson alone, with the greatest intrepidity, rushed across the 50 yards of open ground directly into the face of the hostile machinegun, kicked the gun from the parapet into the enemy trench, and at the point of the bayonet captured the three men manning the gun. The gallantry and quick decision of Sergeant Adkinson enabled the platoon to resume its advance.