The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Sergeant Edward R. Talley (ASN: 1309598), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 7 October 1918, while serving with Company L, 117th Infantry, 30th Division, in action at Ponchaux, France. Undeterred by seeing several comrades killed in attempting to put a hostile machinegun nest out of action, Sergeant Talley attacked the position single-handed. Armed only with a rifle, he rushed the nest in the face of intense enemy fire, killed or wounded at least six of the crew, and silenced the gun. When the enemy attempted to bring forward another gun and ammunition he drove them back by effective fire from his rifle.