The President of the United States
in the name of The Congress
takes pleasure in presenting the

Medal of Honor
to
WHITTLESEY, CHARLES W.



Rank and Organization:
Major, U.S. Army, 308th Infantry, 77th Division.
Place and Date:
Northeast of Binarville, in the forest of Argonne France, 2-7 October 1918.
Entered Service At:
Pittsfield, Mass. Birth: Florence, Wis. G. O. No.: 118, W.D., 1918.

Citation

Although cut off for 5 days from the remainder of his division,
Maj. Whittlesey maintained his position, which he had reached under
orders received for an advance, and held his command, consisting
originally of 46 officers and men of the 308th Infantry and of Company K
of the 307th Infantry, together in the face of superior numbers of the enemy
during the 5 days. Maj. Whittlesey and his command were thus cut off,
and no rations or other supplies reached him, in spite of determined
efforts which were made by his division. On the 4th day Maj. Whittlesey
received from the enemy a written proposition to surrender, which
he treated with contempt, although he was at the time out of rations and
had suffered a loss of about 50 percent in killed and wounded of his command
and was surrounded by the enemy.