Clayton K. Slack

Clayton Kirk Slack (February 23, 1896 – March 1, 1976) was a soldier in the United States Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during World War I.

Biography

Slack was born in Plover, Wisconsin on February 23, 1896.

Clayton Slack joined the United States Army from Madison, Wisconsin in September 1917, and as a Private he was cited for single-handedly clearing out a German machine gun nest resulting in 10 prisoners and the capture of 2 machine-guns on October 8, 1918, in the Meuse-Argonne offensive, the biggest battle of World War I involving American troops.

Slack noticed several German troops and charged at them with his rifle and bayonet telling them to "put their hands up". The German soldiers thinking that he was at the lead of a patrol, surrendered. Slacks actions were credited with saving his unit heavy casualties.

After the war Slack toured the United States with war films and by the time of his death had met six presidents. In 1963 president John F Kennedy hosted a reunion of Medal of Honor recipients at the White House for the 100th anniversary of the first presentation of the Medal. Slack attended the function along with a number of other Medal of Honor recipients.

He died March 1, 1976 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery Arlington, Virginia. His grave can be found in section 34, lot 59.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company D, 124th Machine Gun Battalion, 33d Division. Place and date: Near Consenvoye, France, 8 October 1918. Entered service at: Madison, Wis. Born: 23 February 1896, Plover, Wis. G.O. No.: 16, W.D., 1919.

Citation:

Observing German soldiers under cover 50 yards away on the left flank, Pvt. Slack, upon his own initiative, rushed them with his rifle and, single-handed, captured 10 prisoners and 2 heavy-type machineguns, thus saving his company and neighboring organizations from heavy casualties.