MILES, L. WARDLAW - Medal of Honor Recipient
Rank and organization. Captain, U.S. Army, 308th Infantry, 77th Division.
Place and date: Near Revillon, France, 14 September 1918. Entered service
at: Princeton, N.J. Born: 23 March 1873, Baltimore, Md. G.O. No.: 44, W.D.,
1919. Citation: Volunteered to lead his company in a hazardous attack on
a commanding trench position near the Aisne Canal, which other troops had
previously attempted to take without success. His company immediately met
with intense machinegun fire, against which it had no artillery assistance,
but Capt. Miles preceded the first wave and assisted in cutting a passage
through the enemy's wire entanglements. In so doing he was wounded 5 times
by machinegun bullets, both legs and 1 arm being fractured, whereupon he
ordered himself placed on a stretcher and had himself carried forward to
the enemy trench in order that he might encourage and direct his company,
which by this time had suffered numerous casualties. Under the inspiration
of this officer's indomitable spirit his men held the hostile position
and consolidated the front line after an action lasting 2 hours, at the
conclusion of which Capt. Miles was carried to the aid station against
his will.
This data was extracted from the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, U.S. Senate, Medal of Honor Recipients: 1863-1973 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1973)
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