Sergeant John Cridland Latham was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on September 29, 1918 near Le Catelet, France during World War I. At the time he was serving with 3d Platoon, Machine Gun Company, 107th Infantry, 27th Division. Latham was 30 years old.
10 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on February 4, 1919. Chaumont, France, presented by Gen. John J. Pershing. He later rose to the rank of Warrant Officer.
Latham was born on March 3, 1888 in Windemere, England — one of 98 recipients born in England. His Medal of Honor is credited to Rutherford, Bergen County, New Jersey. Latham died on November 2, 1975 in Stamford, Connecticut, at the age of 87. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.
Latham is one of 132 Medal of Honor recipients from World War I and one of 93 credited to New Jersey.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Becoming separated from their platoon by a smoke barrage, Sgt. Latham, Sgt. Alan L. Eggers, and Cpl. Thomas E. O'shea took cover in a shellhole well within the enemy lines. Upon hearing a call for help from an American tank which had became disabled 30 yards from them, the three soldiers left their shelter and started toward the tank under heavy fire from German machine guns and trench mortars. In crossing the fire-swept area, Cpl. O'Shea was mortally wounded, but his companions, undeterred, proceeded to the tank, rescued a wounded officer, and assisted two wounded soldiers to cover in the sap of a trench nearby. Sgts. Latham and Eggers then returned to the tank in the face of violent fire, dismounted a Hotchkiss gun, and took it back where the wounded men were, keeping off the enemy all day by effective use of the gun, and later bringing it with the wounded men back to our lines under cover of darkness.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Other decorations and honors
Besides the Medal of Honor, John Cridland Latham received:
Source: Wikidata. Gold chips link to our guide to that decoration.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: World War I.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New Jersey →
Timeline
- March 3, 1888Born in Windemere, England
- September 29, 1918Act of valor — near Le Catelet, FranceAge 30. 3d Platoon, Machine Gun Company, 107th Infantry, 27th Division
- February 4, 1919Medal of Honor presentedChaumont, France, presented by Gen. John J. Pershing
- November 2, 1975Died in Stamford, ConnecticutAge 87.
- Resting placeArlington National CemeteryArlington, Virginia
Biography
John Cridland Latham (March 3, 1888 – November 5, 1975) was a United States Army soldier who received the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in World War I. Born on March 3, 1888, in Windermere, England, Latham emigrated to the United States and joined the army in Rutherford, New Jersey. He served as a sergeant in Machine Gun Company, 107th Infantry Regiment, 27th Division. On September 29, 1918, near Le Catelet in northeastern France, he and two other soldiers, Sergeant Alan L. Eggers and Corporal Thomas E. O'Shea, left cover to rescue the crew of a disabled American tank.
From the Wikipedia article “John Cridland Latham”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
