Medal of Honor: Michael B. Ellis, World War I, October 5, 1918
All day at Exermont, Sergeant Michael Ellis fought alone—charging through fire, destroying nests, and capturing over fifty Germans singlehandedly.
October 7, 2025
Name: Michael B. Ellis
Rank: Sergeant
War: World War I
Date of Action: October 5, 1918
Unit: Company C, 28th Infantry Regiment, 1st Division
Entered Service At: East St. Louis, Illinois
Born: October 28, 1894, St. Louis, Missouri
Summary of Action
Near Exermont, France, during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, Sergeant Michael Ellis exemplified fearless initiative. All through the day he operated far ahead of his company’s first wave, repeatedly attacking German machine gun positions on his own. Flanking one nest, he killed two of the enemy and captured seventeen. Without pause, he advanced again, charging into another strongpoint to capture twenty-seven more prisoners—including two officers—and seizing six machine guns that had halted his company’s advance. When the captured officers revealed the location of additional weapons, Ellis struck again, taking four more machine guns and their crews. His relentless courage, calm precision, and utter disregard for his own safety inspired his regiment and cleared the way for the American advance through the German line.
Medal of Honor Citation
ELLIS, MICHAEL B.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 28th Infantry, 1st Division. Place and date: Near Exermont, France, 5 October 1918. Entered service at: East St. Louis, Ill. Born: 28 October 1894, St. Louis, Mo. G.O. No.: 74, W.D., 1919. 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 single-handedly attacking and reducing machinegun nests. Flanking one emplacement, he killed 2 of the enemy with rifle fire and captured 17 others. Later he single-handedly advanced under heavy fire and captured 27 prisoners, including 2 officers and 6 machineguns, which had been holding up the advance of the company. The captured officers indicated the locations of 4 other machineguns, and he in turn captured these, together with their crews, at all times showing marked heroism and fearlessness.
