Medal of Honor: Marcellus H. Chiles – World War I – November 3, 1918

Name: Marcellus H. Chiles
Rank: Captain
Organization: U.S. Army, 356th Infantry, 89th Division
Place and Date: Near Le Champy Bas, France, 3 November 1918
Entered Service At: Denver, Colorado
Born: Eureka Springs, Arkansas
G.O. No.: 20, War Department, 1919

Summary of Action

In the final days of the Great War, Captain Marcellus H. Chiles had just assumed command of his battalion when they were pinned down by relentless German machine gun fire from two directions near Le Champy Bas, France. Without hesitation, he seized the rifle of a fallen soldier and rallied his men forward.

Charging waist-deep through an icy stream under enemy fire, Chiles led from the front — shouting for his men to follow him across open ground swept by machine guns. Upon reaching the far bank, a sniper’s bullet tore into his abdomen. Refusing evacuation, he calmly organized his battalion’s next movements, ensuring the attack continued and the objective was secured.

He was carried from the field only after the mission’s success and died soon after in the hospital. His final act was one of pure leadership — courage without regard for self.

Medal of Honor Citation

CHILES, MARCELLUS H.
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Army, 356th Infantry, 89th Division.
Place and date: Near Le Champy Bas, France, 3 November 1918.
Entered service at: Denver, Colo.
Birth: Eureka Springs, Ark.
G.O. No.: 20, W.D., 1919.

Citation:
When his battalion, of which he had just taken command, was halted by machinegun fire from the front and left flank, he picked up the rifle of a dead soldier and, calling on his men to follow, led the advance across a stream, waist deep, in the face of the machinegun fire. Upon reaching the opposite bank this gallant officer was seriously wounded in the abdomen by a sniper, but before permitting himself to be evacuated he made complete arrangements for turning over his command to the next senior officer, and under the inspiration of his fearless leadership his battalion reached its objective. Capt. Chiles died shortly after reaching the hospital.