Sergeant Joseph Barnard Adkison, A Soldier's Story
.png "Sergeant Joseph Barnard Adkison – Medal of Honor, World War I")
Sergeant Joseph Barnard Adkison, A Soldier's Story
Joseph Barnard Adkison was born on January 4, 1892, in Egypt. Before the United States entered World War I, Adkison worked as a clerk for the Carriage and Morgan Supply Company, leading an ordinary civilian life shaped by work and community.
On June 5, 1917, shortly after America entered the war, he enlisted in the United States Army. He was assigned to the 119th Infantry Regiment and deployed overseas to France as part of the American Expeditionary Forces.
On September 29, 1918, during combat operations in France, Sergeant Adkison’s unit came under intense fire from an enemy machine gun position that had stalled their advance. Acting on his own initiative and under direct fire, Adkison ran approximately fifty yards toward the enemy emplacement. Reaching the position, he seized the machine gun, kicking it from the hands of its operator, and held the enemy crew at bay with his bayonet until they were taken into custody by American forces.
For his extraordinary bravery and decisive action under fire, Sergeant Joseph Barnard Adkison was awarded the Medal of Honor.
The following day, September 30, 1918, he was struck by enemy artillery fire, suffering severe injuries to his right arm and leg. The wounds ended his combat service, and he was medically retired from the Army.
Adkison’s injuries affected him for the remainder of his life. He endured repeated hospitalizations and chronic complications, which worsened after he was struck by an automobile in 1937. Despite the public recognition of his heroism, much of his postwar life was spent managing the lasting physical cost of his wartime service.
Sergeant Joseph Barnard Adkison died on May 23, 1965. He is buried at Salem Presbyterian Church Cemetery.
His story reflects both sides of valor: the moment of decisive courage on the battlefield, and the long, often unseen endurance that followed, a lifetime shaped by service rendered when it was most demanded.
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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life
She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.
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