SGT Michael B. Ellis

Rank and organization:

Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 28th Infantry, 1st Division.

Place and date:

Near Exermont, France, 5 October 1918.

Entered service at:

East St. Louis, Ill.

Born:

28 October 1894, St. Louis, Mo.

G.O. No.:

74, W.D., 1919.
Citation: During the entire day’s engagement he operated far in advance of the first wave of his company, voluntarily undertaking most dangerous missions and single-handedly attacking and reducing machinegun nests. Flanking one emplacement, he killed 2 of the enemy with rifle fire and captured 17 others. Later he single-handedly advanced under heavy fire and captured 27 prisoners, including 2 officers and 6 machineguns, which had been holding up the advance of the company. The captured officers indicated the locations of 4 other machineguns, and he in turn captured these, together with their crews, at all times showing marked heroism and fearlessness.