The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Soldier’s Medal to Private Chester W. French (ASN: 6126974), United States Army, for heroism, not involving actual conflict with an enemy, displayed while serving with Headquarters Battery, 7th Field Artillery, at the Fort Ethan Allen Artillery Range, Fremont, 18 June 1935. When another soldier of his detachment suffered a severe electric shock by accidentally grasping the high voltage power line and the metal brace of a telephone pole on which he was working, he was rendered unconscious and was unable to release his grasp due to the completed circuit through his body. Private French climbed the pole and with utter disregard of the danger of electric shock to himself fearlessly pulled the soldier free from the pole.