Camden Doughboy Saved Commander

Joseph Angelo carried wounded Colonel to shell hole under rain of bullets.

The Morning Post (Camden, New Jersey) 18 March 1919

Thrilling Story by Modest Hero

Lauded as “the bravest man in the American Army, Joseph DeAngelo of 2310 Carmen Street, is back in the USA arriving in New York yesterday.

He saved the life of Colonel George Smith Patton, commander of the 304th tank Brigade. By dragging him into a shellhole when he was wounded, directed the operations of the tanks and serve the whole Brigade from annihilation.

For these Deeds of heroism he has been awarded the French War Medal, French CroIx de Guerra, and The Distinguished Service Cross. He escaped uninjured doing his thrilling exploits. Although many men were killed and wounded in the sector.

He arrived with the colonel with the first tank corpse unit to return from overseas yesterday on the French transport Patria witch doctor at New York.

1 officer and 121 enlisted men who with the tank unit, a number of whom are from Philadelphia and other points in Pennsylvania was sent to Camp Dix. two other men in the unit are wearing the French War medal and 21 have the distinguished service cross.

Kernel patch in whose home is in San Gabriel, California said: “ when the tank corpse went over the top on September 26th, at Clairmont, just west of the Hawks Hills, I was shot down in Joe dragged me into a shell hole. He is without doubt the bravest lad in the American Army. I have never seen is equal.”

The colonel then sent an orderly to find the Camden hero, saying, “Let him tell the story. He deserves all the credit in the war. Had it not been for the youngsters bravery there would have been a different story to tell in that sector.”

When Angela was brought before the colonel he blushed from ear-to-ear.

“You see,” he began, and then looked pleadingly at his commanding officer, “We went over the top at 6:30 in the morning. We had 250 tanks on the move, and we’re plowing through a dense fog. As I was the Colonel’s orderly I accompanied him in the advance.”

“We had 15 men into first lieutenants in our party. The tanks followed us. I was walking on one side of the colonel, but we came to the crossroads the colonel told me to remain at the intersection and be on the watch for Germans.”

While I was on duty to American Doughboys came along. I asked them what their mission was, and they replied they were just mopping up. Well I said if you don’t get out of here you’ll get mopped up, as the Germans were pouring plenty of lead over our way. When several high-explosive shells burst nearby the Doughboys took cover and a shack. A moment later a shell hit building and that was the last I saw the soldiers. They were blown to atoms.

“A short time later I saw two German machine Gunners pop up from behind a bush opened fire on me. I returned the fire and killed one, the other taking it on the run.”.

The colonel who had preceded with the advance party a short distance ahead, appeared on the top of an Ole and shouted to me: ‘ Joe is that you shooting down there?’ Then I thought all hell had broken loose. The German Machine Gun Nest sent bullets flying are way thicker than a swarm of bees.

“‘Come on we’ll clean out those nests,’ shouted the colonel, and I followed him up the hill.The colonel was angry and couldn’t understand why our boys could not break up the German nests. Then he saw the tanks were not moving and sent me to see Captain English, in command of the 7th tank, to find out the cause. The tanks were stuck in mud.

The colonel ordered me to follow him and when we reached the tanks almost Hub deep in the mire, he grabbed a shovel and begin digging the tanks free. Other men and myself joined in the task.

In the meantime the Germans were sending across Heavy Artillery fire, the shells dropping about us. Finally we got the tanks in motion and took them over the hill.

The colonel here found some Infantry men who didn’t know what to do as their officers had been killed. The colonel instructed me to place them with the tank detachment. Later the colonel told me to get around the machine gun side and wipe out the machine gun nests. ‘Take 15 men with you,i he ordered.

‘I’m sorry’. I told them, ‘but they have all been killed’. ‘My God. They’re not all gone?,’ the colonel asked in astonishment. When I said the infantrymen were killed by machine gun bullets he ordered me to accompany him, declaring we would drive them out.

I thought the colonel had gone mad and he gaped at me. He grabbed me by the hair and dragged me to my senses. Then I followed, but before we had gone Thirty yards to Colonel Fel with a German rifle bullet in his thigh.

I assisted the colonel into a shell hole, bandaged his wounds and then took an observation of our surroundings. Shells were flying about. Two hours later the colonel revived. Then he ordered me to go to Major Brett and instruct him to assume command of the tank works. I found the major and reported back to the colonel. A few moments later the colonel saw three tanks, one French and the other American, camped out 20 yards away from our shell hole.

Jump out there, the colonel ordered, Scatter those tanks or they will be blown up. I rushed out, gave the orders, and again returned. The American tanks got away but the French tank was demolished in the men killed.

The colonel then ordered me to get out on top of our shell hole and prevent oncoming tanks from getting below us, the fire from the enemy Dean terrific. Then the colonel said Joe, the Germans have been making this whole a living hell since you left. Get a tank and wipe out those Nets. This was done and then I found for infantrymen who carry the colonel to the rear.

When Angelo finished his thrilling narrative the colonel said: Yes, Joe is the bravest man I know. He formerly worked at Dupont powderworks but that work wasn’t exciting enough. That is why he joined the tank corpse. I owe my life and he saved the entire tank Brigade. He certainly did save the day.”

Sergeant John J McGinty of Carbondale, PA, a member of Company B, 34th tank Battalion, which makes up part of the 30th Brigade, returned on the Patria. He is wearing a D.S.C. medal for heroism at Verrnes. The sergeant was leading a tank September 29th, but became lost in a heavy fog. He came across American infantrymen, and led them on the town, practically capturing it with a small band. He wiped out German snipers and captured 60 Germans then he gave the signal for the tanks to advance.