Military Monday ~ Corp. Fred Gaskins

Corporal Frederick O. Gaskins
United States Army, (ASN: 1311737),
Company I, 118th Infantry Regiment, 30th Division, A.E.F.
d. 16 October 1918
Buried at: Plot C Row 8-Grave 4
Somme American Cemetery, Bony, France

Courtesy of Robert A. Young  [1][2]

DSC [3]

Awarded Distinguished Service Cross – Posthumously

Corporal Frederick O. Gaskins was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with the US Army near La Haie-Menneresse, France.
His citation reads in part “Corporal Gaskins led his squad entirely on his own initiative in the face of intense machine-gun fire against an enemy post on the right flank. Followed by his men he rushed the position, taking it and killing two of the gun crew. He then rushed a second post alone with his rifle, killing one of the crew. He was himself killed before he could reach the post.” [4]

The entire citation accompanying the Medal can be read at:
http://www.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=12061 [4]

Fred was part of the 30th Division. The 30th division was at the front of the fighting for Bancourt, Premont  and Cambrai, France. This part of France  was known as “The Western Front”. Fighting was extremely fierce from July – September 1918 leading up to  and beyond the “Battle of Albert” (August 21-22, 1918).  

Google maps view of Northern France along the Belgium border. The pin is La Haie-Menneresse in the Vaux-Andigny area of France.


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Fred Gaskins was the son of Thomas W. Gaskins[5] and Ella Hartsell Gaskins. His Father and Mother are buried at Hopewell Baptist Church Cemetery.
 
 
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[1] Tombstone photo property of Robert A. Young, approved for use here by Robert A. Young.
[2] Find A Grave Memorial# 56098323
[3] http://www.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/search.php
[4] http://www.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=12061
[5] The Evening Post, Charleston, SC, January 2, 1919, Page 5