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Corporal · U.S. Army

John Cantey Villepigue

Corporal John Cantey Villepigue, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on October 15, 1918 in Vaux-Andigny, France during World War I.

World War I October 15, 1918

Corporal John Cantey Villepigue, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on October 15, 1918 in Vaux-Andigny, France during World War I. At the time he was serving with Company M, 118th Infantry, 30th Division. Villepigue was 22 years old.

The medal was presented on May 26, 1919.

Villepigue was born on March 29, 1896 in Camden, Kershaw County, South Carolina. Villepigue died on April 18, 1943 in Columbia, South Caroilna, at the age of 47. He is buried at Quaker Cemetery in Camden, South Carolina.

Villepigue 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

Having been sent out with two other soldiers to scout through the village of Vaux-Andigny, he met with strong resistance from enemy machine-gun fire, which killed one of his men and wounded the other. Continuing his advance without aid 500 yards in advance of his platoon and in the face of machine-gun and artillery fire, he encountered four of the enemy in a dugout, whom he attacked and killed with a hand grenade. Crawling forward to a point 150 yards in advance of his first encounter, he rushed a machine-gun nest, killing four and capturing six of the enemy and taking two light machine guns. After being joined by his platoon he was severely wounded in the arm.

Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.

Wounds and injuries

What the citation records about his wounds:

After being joined by his platoon he was severely wounded in the arm.
  • Age at death: 47
  • Resting place: Quaker Cemetery

Other decorations and honors

Besides the Medal of Honor, John Cantey Villepigue received:

Distinguished Conduct Medal

Source: Wikidata. Gold chips link to our guide to that decoration.

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: World War I.

Places

  • Born: Camden — map
  • Died: Camden — map
  • Buried: Old Quaker Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in South Carolina →

Timeline

  1. March 29, 1896
    Born in Camden, Kershaw County, South Carolina
  2. October 15, 1918
    Act of valor — Vaux-Andigny, France
    Age 22. Company M, 118th Infantry, 30th Division
  3. May 26, 1919
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. April 18, 1943
    Died in Columbia, South Caroilna
    Age 47.
  5. Resting place
    Quaker Cemetery
    Camden, South Carolina

Biography

John Cantey Villepigue (March 29, 1896 – April 18, 1943) was a corporal in the 118th Infantry, 30th Division which was federalized out of the South Carolina National Guard during World War I. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions during that war.

From the Wikipedia article “John C. Villepigue”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Same unit

RH Richmond Hobson Hilton Sergeant · Army World War I · 1918

More World War I recipients from South Carolina

GF Gary Evans Foster Sergeant · Army World War I · 1918 JH James Davidson Heriot Corporal · Army World War I · 1918 ✦ TH Thomas Lee Hall Sergeant · Army World War I · 1918 ✦ James C. Dozier First Lieutenant · Army World War I · 1918 Daniel Augustus joseph Sullivan Ensign · Navy World War I · 1918 FS Freddie Stowers Corporal · Army World War I · 1918 ✦
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Wikidata and Wikipedia. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.