| Birth: | Jan. 20, 1884
Florence
Florence County
Wisconsin, USA | | Death: | Nov. 24, 1921 | 
World War I Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. Commander of the lost battalion in the Argonne Forest WW I. As a major in the 77th division 308th battalion in October 1918 he and his men were surrounded by the Germans. Without supplies or food they held on against overwhelming odds refusing surrender. His reply to the Germans demand was "Go to Hell." At the end of the ordeal out of 550 men only 194 were left alive and unwounded. In recognition of his valour he was made a Lt. Colonel and along with his captains McMurtry and Holderman awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. After the war he returned to law practice (he was a graduate of Harvard Law School).
On 24 November, 1921 he booked passage on the S.S. Taloa a steamer bound for Havana. On 26 Nov. he stayed up late drinking, went to the rail and jumped overboard. He left no explanation, but he had written his will in New York, leaving his property to his mother, before embarking on the journey. He also left several letters in his cabin addressed to family and friends.
In addition to being named on the family monument Charles also has a Medal of Honor marker in the lot. It is a 'In Memory Only' marker (IMO) as the actual body was never recovered.
Cause of death: Suicide
Search Amazon for Charles Whittlesey | | | Burial:
Pittsfield Cemetery
*
Pittsfield
Berkshire County
Massachusetts, USA
Specifically: Body lost at sea
*Cenotaph [?] |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Originally Created by: Erik Lander
Record added: Dec 10, 2001
Find A Grave Memorial# 6022334 |
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(4.2 after 57 votes)
