Louis W Miles
Louis was born on the 23rd of March, 1873, in Baltimore, Maryland, and sadly not much information is known about his early life, military service, or life after the War. He did join the US Army in Princeton, New Jersey, and he was an officer when he deployed to France in support of World War 1. It was his actions with the 308th Infantry, 77th Division on the 14th of September, 1918, that would earn him the Medal of Honor. The citation reads:
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.
It is probably safe to say that Louis did not serve in the military after World War 1, or at least not for much longer, as he is listed as not reaching a rank higher than Captain, which was his rank during the War. Louis Wardlaw Miles died at the age of 71 on the 26th of June, 1944 and is buried in the Green Mount Cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland: Hemlock Section, Lot 49.
