Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Private First Class John Lewis Barkley received the Medal of Honor for his actions on October 7, 1918 near Cunel, France during World War I. At the time he was serving with Company K, 4th Infantry, 3d Division. Barkley was 23 years old.
2 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.
Barkley was born on August 28, 1895 in Blairstown, Henry County, Missouri. Barkley died on April 14, 1966 in Shawnee Mission, Kansas, US, at the age of 70. He is buried at Forest Hills Cemetery in Kansas City, Missouri. His medal is held by National World War I Museum at the Liberty Memorial, Kansas City, MO.
Barkley is one of 132 Medal of Honor recipients from World War I and one of 78 credited to Missouri.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Pfc. Barkley, who was stationed in an observation post half a kilometer from the German line, on his own initiative repaired a captured enemy machine gun and mounted it in a disabled French tank near his post. Shortly afterward, when the enemy launched a counterattack against our forces, Pfc. Barkley got into the tank, waited under the hostile barrage until the enemy line was abreast of him and then opened fire, completely breaking up the counterattack and killing and wounding a large number of the enemy. Five minutes later an enemy 77-millimeter gun opened fire on the tank point-blank. One shell struck the drive wheel of the tank, but this soldier nevertheless remained in the tank and after the barrage ceased broke up a second enemy counterattack, thereby enabling our forces to gain and hold Hill 25.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: World War I.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Missouri →
Timeline
- August 28, 1895Born in Blairstown, Henry County, Missouri
- October 7, 1918Act of valor — near Cunel, FranceAge 23. Company K, 4th Infantry, 3d Division
- April 14, 1966Died in Shawnee Mission, Kansas, USAge 70.
- Resting placeForest Hills CemeteryKansas City, Missouri
Biography
John Lewis Barkley (August 28, 1895 – April 14, 1966) was a United States Army Medal of Honor recipient of World War I. Born in Blairstown, Missouri, near Holden, Barkley served as a Private First Class in Company K, 4th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division. He earned the medal while fighting near Cunel, France, on October 7, 1918. His autobiography, "Scarlet Fields: The Combat Memoir of a World War I Medal of Honor Hero," details his service leading up to and following his Medal of Honor action. The book draws comparisons as the American literary response to "All Quiet on the Western Front." Barkley died on April 14, 1966, and is buried in Forest Hill Calvary Cemetery in Kansas City, Missouri.
From the Wikipedia article “John L. Barkley”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
