Corporal James Davidson Heriot, a soldier in the U.S. Army, was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for gallantry on October 12, 1918 in Vaux-Andigny, France during World War I. At the time he was serving with Company I, 118th Infantry, 30th Divsion. Heriot was 27 years old.
Heriot was killed in the action for which his medal was awarded. One other service member also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on February 22, 1919 — presented to his mother, Mrs. Carrie C. Heriot, at the home of Mrs. H.T. Abbott in Sumter, SC, by Major General Henry G. Sharpe.
Heriot was born on November 2, 1890 in Providence, South Carolina. He is buried at Rembert Methodist Church Cemetery in Woodrow, South Carolina. His medal is held by Camden Archives & Museum, Camden, SC.
Heriot is one of 132 Medal of Honor recipients from World War I and one of 33 credited to South Carolina.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Cpl. Heriot, with four other soldiers, organized a combat group and attacked an enemy machine-gun nest which had been inflicting heavy casualties on his company. In the advance two of his men were killed, and because of the heavy fire from all sides the remaining two sought shelter. Unmindful of the hazard attached to his mission, Cpl. Heriot, with fixed bayonet, alone charged the machine gun, making his way through the fire for a distance of 30 yards and forcing the enemy to surrender. During this exploit he received several wounds in the arm, and later in the same day, while charging another nest, he was killed.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Wounds and death in action
What the citation records about his wounds:
During this exploit he received several wounds in the arm, and later in the same day, while charging another nest, he was killed.
- Killed in action during the act for which the medal was awarded (October 12, 1918).
- Age at death: 27
- Resting place: Rembert Methodist Church Cemetery
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: World War I.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in South Carolina →
Timeline
- November 2, 1890Born in Providence, South Carolina
- October 12, 1918Act of valor — Vaux-Andigny, FranceAge 27. Company I, 118th Infantry, 30th Divsion Killed in action.
- February 22, 1919Medal of Honor presented posthumouslyPresented to his mother, Mrs. Carrie C. Heriot, at the home of Mrs. H.T. Abbott in Sumter, SC, by Major General Henry G. Sharpe
- Resting placeRembert Methodist Church CemeteryWoodrow, South Carolina
Biography
James Davison Heriot (November 2, 1890 – October 12, 1918) was a SC National Guard Soldier from the 118th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division, United States Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during World War I.
From the Wikipedia article “James D. Heriot”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
