Charles W. Whittlesey

Holding an isolated command in the Argonne Forest

Charles White Whittlesey earned the Medal of Honor for leadership northeast of Binarville, France, from October 2 to 7, 1918. A major commanding the 1st Battalion, 308th Infantry, 77th Division, he held his men together after they were cut off from the rest of the division.

Without incoming rations or supplies and facing superior enemy forces, Whittlesey maintained the position. He rejected a German surrender proposal despite heavy casualties and encirclement.

Born in Florence, Wisconsin, on January 20, 1884, he received the medal on Boston Common on December 24, 1918. He later attained lieutenant colonel. Whittlesey died at sea on November 27, 1921. His award records the leadership he sustained during the command’s isolation.

Medal of Honor citation

Although cut off for five days from the remainder of his division, Maj. Whittlesey maintained his position, which he had reached under orders received for an advance, and held his command, consisting originally of 46 officers and men of the 308th Infantry and of Company K, of the 307th Infantry, together in the face of superior numbers of the enemy during the five days. Maj. Whittlesey and his command were cut off, and no rations or other supplies reached him, in spite of determined efforts which were made by his division. On the fourth day Maj. Whittlesey received from the enemy a written proposition to surrender, which he treated with contempt, although he was at the time out of rations and had suffered a loss of about 50 percent in killed and wounded of his command and was surrounded by the enemy.