Congressional Medal of Honor Society
Stories of Sacrifice
World War I - U.S. Army
Michael B Ellis
Details
- Rank: Sergeant
- Conflict/Era: World War I
- Unit/Command:
Company C, 28th Infantry,
1st Division - Military Service Branch: U.S. Army
- Medal of Honor Action Date: October 5, 1918
- Medal of Honor Action Place: near Exermont, France
Citation
During the entire day's engagement he operated far in advance of the first wave of his company, voluntarily undertaking most dangerous missions and singlehandedly attacking and reducing machine-gun nests. Flanking one emplacement, he killed two of the enemy with rifle fire and captured 17 others. Later he singlehandedly advanced under heavy fire and captured 27 prisoners, including two officers and six machine guns, which had been holding up the advance of the company. The captured officers indicated the locations of four other machine guns, and he in turn captured these, together with their crews, at all times showing marked heroism and fearlessness.
Additional Details
- Accredited to: East St. Louis, St. Clair County, Illinois
- Awarded Posthumously: No
- Presentation Date & Details: 1919
Presented by General John J. Pershing - Born: October 28, 1894, St. Louis, St. Louis County, MO, United States
- Died: December 9, 1937, Chicago, IL, United States
- Buried: Arlington National Cemetery (MH) (6-9520), Arlington, VA, United States