Medal of Honor: Willie Sandlin, World War I, September 26, 1918
In the tangled woods of France, one Kentucky soldier fought three machine gun nests alone. Willie Sandlin’s fearless charges cleared the way for his men to advance.
September 26, 2025
Name: Willie Sandlin
Rank: Sergeant
War: World War I
Date of Action: September 26, 1918
Unit: Company A, 132nd Infantry Regiment, 33rd Division, U.S. Army
Accredited to: Kentucky
Summary of Action
During the fighting at the Bois-de-Forges, Sgt. Sandlin’s company was pinned down by the deadly fire of a German machine gun nest. Acting alone, he advanced directly into the fire, lobbed a grenade, and killed the entire crew, allowing the line to surge forward. Later that same day, he repeated his daring feat twice more—singlehandedly attacking and neutralizing two additional machine gun positions. His reckless courage, coolness under fire, and determination to push forward inspired his fellow soldiers and marked him as one of Kentucky’s greatest heroes of the Great War.
Medal of Honor Citation
He showed conspicuous gallantry in action by advancing alone directly on a machinegun nest which was holding up the line with its fire. He killed the crew with a grenade and enabled the line to advance. Later in the day he attacked alone and put out of action 2 other machinegun nests, setting a splendid example of bravery and coolness to his men.
