Charles Whittlesey

Major Charles Whittlesey, an attorney by profession, subsequently rose to prominence as the unyielding leader of the so-called "Lost Battalion", an American regiment that was lost behind German lines. As part of a planned offensive in the Argonne Forest on October 2, 1918, the bookish and spectacular Whittlesey led his men into enemy terrain. His regiment, however, crossed the difficult terrain too quickly as a result of poor communication, and it was soon isolated and encircled by German forces.

The roughly 600-person Whittlesey force dug in and built a shaky defensive line. They spent the following five days evading sniper fire and repelling wave after wave of German onslaught despite being low on food, water, and ammunition. Their men unintentionally started bombarding their position at one point, but Whittlesey deployed a carrier pigeon and was able to stop the onslaught of friendly fire. Later, there was a chance for the Americans to give up, but Whittlesey resisted and fought against bleak odds. On October 8, Allied troops at last arrived and compelled the enemy to flee. Only 194 Americans remained when that happened, including Whittlesey, who was later given the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary bravery and composure under fire. Whittlesey, however, was troubled by the conflict for the rest of his life and eventually killed himself in 1921 by jumping off a ship that was sailing toward Cuba.

Lifespan: January 20, 1884–November 26, 1921

Nation: America