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While his platoon was reorganizing under cover of darkness, fanatical enemy forces in overwhelming strength launched a surprise attack on the unit. Private First Class Thompson set up his machinegun in the path of the onslaught and swept the enemy with withering fire, pinning them down momentarily thus permitting the remainder of his platoon to withdraw to a more tenable position. Although hit repeatedly by grenade fragments and small-arms fire, he resisted all efforts of his comrades to induce him to withdraw, steadfastly remained at his machinegun and continued to deliver deadly, accurate fire until mortally wounded by an enemy grenade.
Initially NO Black soldiers were awarded Medals of Honor during the World Wars, making William Thompson the first Black American awarded the Medal of Honor since the Spanish American War. (In the 1990s, in efforts to right this wrong inflicted on the brave Blacks who served in the World Wars, upgrades eventually resulted in one award to a Black soldier of WWI and to seven Black veterans of WWII.)
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