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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Corporal · U.S. Army

Samuel Major Sampler

Corporal Samuel Major Sampler, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on October 8, 1918 near St. Etienne, France during World War I.

World War I October 8, 1918

Corporal Samuel Major Sampler, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on October 8, 1918 near St. Etienne, France during World War I. At the time he was serving with Company H, 142d Infantry, 36th Division. Sampler was 23 years old.

12 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on May 2, 1919. Cheney, France, presented by Gen. William R. Smith.

Sampler was born on January 27, 1895 in Decatur, Wise County, Texas. His Medal of Honor is credited to Altus, Jackson County, Oklahoma. Sampler died on November 19, 1979 in Fort Myers, Florida, at the age of 84. He is buried at Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Fort Myers, Florida.

Sampler is one of 132 Medal of Honor recipients from World War I and one of 25 credited to Oklahoma.

★ Assaults on Machine-Gun Nests

Official Medal of Honor citation

His company, having suffered severe casualties during an advance under machine-gun fire, was finally stopped. Cpl. Sampler detected the position of the enemy machine guns on an elevation. Armed with German hand grenades, which he had picked up, he left the line and rushed forward in the face of heavy fire until he was near the hostile nest, where he grenaded the position. His third grenade landed among the enemy, killing two, silencing the machine guns, and causing the surrender of 28 Germans, whom he sent to the rear as prisoners. As a result of his act the company was immediately enabled to resume the advance.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: World War I.

Life beyond the battlefield

Source: Wikidata.

Places

  • Born: Decatur — map
  • Buried: Fort Myers Memorial Gardens — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Oklahoma →

Timeline

  1. January 27, 1895
    Born in Decatur, Wise County, Texas
  2. October 8, 1918
    Act of valor — near St. Etienne, France
    Age 23. Company H, 142d Infantry, 36th Division
  3. May 2, 1919
    Medal of Honor presented
    Cheney, France, presented by Gen. William R. Smith
  4. November 19, 1979
    Died in Fort Myers, Florida
    Age 84.
  5. Resting place
    Memorial Gardens Cemetery
    Fort Myers, Florida

Biography

Samuel M. Sampler (January 27, 1895 – November 19, 1979) was a United States Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during World War I.

From the Wikipedia article “Samuel M. Sampler”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on October 8, 1918

Johannes Seigfried Anderson First Sergeant · Army World War I · 1918 Henry G. Costin Private · Army World War I · 1918 ✦ James C. Dozier First Lieutenant · Army World War I · 1918 GF Gary Evans Foster Sergeant · Army World War I · 1918 EG Earl D. Gregory Sergeant · Army World War I · 1918 TH Thomas Lee Hall Sergeant · Army World War I · 1918 ✦ JK James Ernest Karnes Sergeant · Army World War I · 1918 PR Patrick J. Regan Second Lieutenant · Army World War I · 1918 Clayton Kirk Slack Private · Army World War I · 1918 Harold Leo Turner Corporal · Army World War I · 1918 CW Calvin John Ward Private · Army World War I · 1918 Alvin Cullium York Corporal · Army World War I · 1918

More World War I recipients from Oklahoma

George Price Hays First Lieutenant · 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.