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Corporal · U.S. Army

Jake Allex

Corporal Jake Allex, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on August 9, 1918 at Chipilly Ridge, France during World War I.

World War I August 9, 1918Born in Serbia

Corporal Jake Allex was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on August 9, 1918 at Chipilly Ridge, France during World War I. At the time he was serving with Company H, 131st Infantry, 33d Division. Allex was 31 years old.

The medal was presented on April 22, 1919. Ettelbruck, Luxembourg by General John J. Pershing.

Allex was born on July 13, 1887 in Streska, near Prizren, Serbia — one of 1 recipient born in Serbia. His Medal of Honor is credited to Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. Allex died on August 28, 1959 in Chicago, Illinois, at the age of 72. He is buried at St. Sava Cemetery in Libertyville, Illinois. Records also list him as Mandushich, Angeliko Allex.

Allex is one of 132 Medal of Honor recipients from World War I and one of 210 credited to Illinois.

Official Medal of Honor citation

At a critical point in the action, when all the officers of his platoon had become casualties, Cpl. Allex took command of the platoon and led it forward until the advance was stopped by fire from a machine-gun nest. He then advanced alone for about 30 yards in the face of intense fire and attacked the nest. With his bayonet he killed five of the enemy, and when it was broken, used the butt of his rifle, capturing 15 prisoners.

Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.

Other decorations and honors

Besides the Medal of Honor, Jake Allex received:

Distinguished Conduct Medal

Source: Wikidata. Gold chips link to our guide to that decoration.

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: World War I.

Places

  • Born: Prizren — map
  • Died: Chicago — map
  • Buried: St. Sava's Serbian Orthodox Seminary — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Illinois →

From the archives

Jake Allex was born Angelko Allex Mandushich in Serbia. "Jecco" is a nickname for Angeliko, which became "Jake" in the U.S. It is unknown why he dropped Mandushich when he enlisted in the U.S. Army.

Timeline

  1. July 13, 1887
    Born in Streska, near Prizren, Serbia
  2. August 9, 1918
    Act of valor — Chipilly Ridge, France
    Age 31. Company H, 131st Infantry, 33d Division
  3. April 22, 1919
    Medal of Honor presented
    Ettelbruck, Luxembourg by General John J. Pershing
  4. August 28, 1959
    Died in Chicago, Illinois
    Age 72.
  5. Resting place
    St. Sava Cemetery
    Libertyville, Illinois

Biography

Aleksa Mandušić (Serbian Cyrillic: Алекса Мандушић; July 13, 1887 – August 28, 1959) was a Serbian-American soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his service in the U.S. Army during World War I. He was also known as Jake Allex Mandusich or simply Jake Allex.

From the Wikipedia article “Jake Allex”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

More World War I recipients from Illinois

JK John Joseph Kelly Private · Marine Corps World War I · 1918 SM Sterling Lewis Morelock Private · Army World War I · 1918 Johannes Seigfried Anderson First Sergeant · Army World War I · 1918 Michael B. Ellis Sergeant · Army World War I · 1918 Weedon Edward Osborne Lieutenant, j.g. · Navy World War I · 1918 ✦ Sydney G. Gumpertz First Sergeant · Army World War I · 1918
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Wikidata and Wikipedia. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.