The son of Norwegian immigrants, Wold joined the Army from Minnewaukan, North Dakota, and served as a private in Company I, 138th Infantry Regiment, 35th Division.

However, thick fog caused the platoon to lose contact with both the 137th and its own battalion immediately after the advance on Cheppy began.

The platoon continued forward as a combat patrol until encountering a group of American scouts led by Lieutenant John Wingate.

[5] Upon reaching the German rear outside Cheppy, with the fog lifted, the group began destroying enemy positions one at a time.

[5] One well-placed machine gun nest, located in a clump of bushes, was deemed too dangerous to attack head-on.