The President of the United States
in the name of
The Congress
takes pleasure in presenting the
Medal of Honor
to
DONOVAN, WILLIAM JOSEPH
Rank and Organization: Lieutenant Colonel, U.S.
Army, 165th Infantry, 42d Division. Place and Date: Near Landres-et-St. Georges,
France, 14-15 October 1918. Entered Service At: Buffalo, N.Y. Born: 1
January 1883, Buffalo, N.Y. G.O., No.: 56, W.D., 1922.
Citation:
Lt. Col. Donovan personally led the assaulting wave in an attack upon a very strongly
organized position, and when our troops were suffering heavy casualties he encouraged all
near him by his example, moving among his men in exposed positions, reorganizing decimated
platoons, and accompanying them forward in attacks. When he was wounded in the leg by
machine-gun bullets, he refused to be evacuated and continued with his unit until it
withdrew to a less exposed position.
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