Samuel M. Sampler

Samuel M. Sampler
Born January 27, 1895(1895-01-27)
Decatur, Texas
Died November 19, 1979(1979-11-19) (aged 84)
Place of burial Fort Myers Memorial Gardens, Fort Myers, Florida
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Army
Rank Corporal
Unit 142nd Infantry Regiment, 36th Division
Battles/wars World War I
Awards Medal of Honor

Samuel M. Sampler (January 27, 1895 – November 19, 1979) was a United States Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the World War I.

Contents

Biography

Born on January 27, 1895, in Decatur, Texas,[1] Sampler was raised in Audubon, New Jersey. He enlisted in the Army from Altus, Oklahoma, and served in Europe as a corporal with Company H of the 142nd Infantry Regiment, 36th Division. During an attack near Saint-Étienne-à-Arnes, France, on October 8, 1918, his company's advance was halted and they took took heavy casualties from a German machine gun nest. Sampler single-handedly charged the hostile position and silenced it with hand grenades, killing two German soldiers and capturing 28. For this action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor the next year, in 1919.[2]

Sampler's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

His company having suffered severe casualties during an advance under machinegun fire, was finally stopped. Cpl. Sampler detected the position of the enemy machineguns on an elevation. Armed with German handgrenades, which he had picked up, he left the line and rushed forward in the face of heavy fire until he was near the hostile nest, where he grenaded the position. His third grenade landed among the enemy, killing 2, silencing the machineguns, and causing the surrender of 28 Germans, whom he sent to the rear as prisoners. As a result of his act the company was immediately enabled to resume the advance.[2]

Sampler died at age 84 on November 19, 1979, and was buried at Fort Myers Memorial Gardens in Fort Myers, Florida.[1][3]

See also

Biography portal
United States Army portal

References

External links