dership of Lieutenant Colonel Otis B.
Duncan, made an advance of one kilometer against enemy machine gun nests
and succeeded in silencing them, thereby allowing the line to advance.
This battalion of the Illinois down-state boys succeeded in doing what,
after three similar attempts by their French comrades in arms, had
proven futile. During this engagement many were killed and wounded and
many officers and men were cited and given decorations.

Company C, of the 370th, under the command of Captain James H. Smith, a
Chicago letter-carrier, signally distinguished itself by storming and
taking the town of Baume and capturing three pieces of field artillery.
For this the whole company was cited and the captain was decorated with
the Croix de Guerre and Palm.

Lieutenant Colonel Duncan, who has been attached to the office of State
Superintendent of Public Instruction of Illinois for over twenty years,
is one of the greatest heroes the Negroes of America have produced. He
returned as the ranking colored officer in the American Expeditionary
Forces. Instead of being merely an assistant Colonel, he was actively in
command of one of the hardest fighting battalions in the regiment. He
has been pronounced a man of native ability, an able tactician and of
natural military genius.

Sergt. Norman Henry, 5127 Dearborn St., Chicago, attached to the 3d
Machine Gun Company, 370th Infantry, won the Croix de Guerre and
Distinguished Service Cross. It was in the Soissons sector September 30
in the first rush on the Hindenburg line.

All of the officers and men fell under a heavy machine gun barrage
except two squads of which Sergeant Henry was left in command. They took
two German dugouts and were cut off from their own line without food.
They held the Germans off with one machine gun for three days. Often the
gun became jammed, but they would take it apart and fix it before the
enemy could get to them.

Lieut. Samuel S. Gordon, 3934 Indiana Avenue, Chicago, of the 370th
Infantry, exposed himself to open machine gun fire for six hours and
effected the rescue of two platoons which had been cut off by the
barrage.

Company H had been badly cut up in a sudden burst of machine gun fire.
Lieutenant Gordon with some men were rushed up to relieve what was left
of the company, and while reconnoitering were cut off by the same fire.
A stream of water four feet deep lay between them and their trenches. By
standing in the stream, Lieutenant Gor