Oscar F . Miller Oscar Franklin Miller ( October 25 , 1882 – September 29 , 1918 ) was a United States Army officer and a recipient of the United States military ' s highest decoration , the Medal of Honor , for his actions in World War I . Early life . Miller was born in Franklin County , Arkansas , the third of eight children . His father , A . J . Miller , was originally from the eastern U . S . and had settled in Arkansas after the Civil War . At age eight , Miller ' s father died and the family moved to Bryant the next year . Miller ' s formal education ended after elementary school . In 1899 , he moved to Texas in search of work and found a job with a newspaper publisher in the town of Paris . After a year , he briefly visited his home in Bryant and then returned to Texas , this time working as a waiter in Colorado City . While at this job , he learned to speak Spanish . Philippine – American War . Miller enlisted in the Army on April 9 , 1901 , for a three - year term of service . After training , he was sent to the Philippines to fight in the Philippine – American War as a private with Company A of the 28th Infantry Regiment . He served as a company clerk and put his Spanish - language skills to use as an interpreter . During his two years in the Philippines , he was wounded in action . He returned to the U . S . and served out the rest of his enlistment with the 28th Infantry ' s Company G . Civil service . After leaving the Army , he worked briefly in Berkely , California , before acquiring a job as a railway mail clerk with the U . S . Postal Service in Little Rock , Arkansas . While in Little Rock , he met and married Anna Conrad , the daughter of the city ' s police chief . A year later , their only child , Oscar Franklin Miller , Jr . , was born . Miller came into conflict with the U . S . Postal Service ' s bureaucracy following a dispute over a misplaced mail sack , in which he refused to follow the chain of command and insisted on corresponding directly with the St . Louis postal inspector . As a result , he was transferred out of Little Rock to the Memphis , Tennessee – McAlister , Indian Territory , route . In 1907 , Miller became an immigration inspector in Laredo , Texas , a job he would hold for the next ten years . During that time , he was transferred to a variety of cities , including Nogales , Arizona , Tucson , Arizona , Amarillo , Texas , and finally Los Angeles , California . In this capacity , Miller apprehended illegal immigrants , assembled cases against smugglers , and patrolled land and water routes across the U . S . – Mexico border and along the California coastline . World War I . Resigning from his job with the immigration service , Miller re - enlisted in the U . S . Army on May 16 , 1917 , shortly after the United States ' official entry into World War I . He attended a reserve officer training camp in Presidio , California , and performed well enough to be one of two people promoted to major upon graduation . For the next year , he served in Fort Lewis , Washington , during the organization and training of the 361st Infantry Regiment , 91st Division . He was then sent to New York before the 361st Regiment was shipped out to Europe , arriving in July 1918 . After receiving field officer training in England and France , Miller rejoined his unit . On September 28 , 1918 , he led his battalion in an attack against a fortified position , continuing to lead and encourage his men even after being mortally wounded . For these actions , he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor . Miller , aged 35 at his death , was buried in the Meuse - Argonne American Cemetery outside of Romagne - sous - Montfaucon in France . Medal of Honor citation . After 2 days of intense physical and mental strain , during which Maj . Miller had led his battalion in the front line of the advance through the forest of Argonne , the enemy was met in a prepared position south of Gesnes . Though almost exhausted , he energetically reorganized his battalion and ordered an attack . Upon reaching open ground the advancing line began to waver in the face of machinegun fire from the front and flanks and direct artillery fire . Personally leading his command group forward between his front - line companies , Maj . Miller inspired his men by his personal courage , and they again pressed on toward the hostile position . As this officer led the renewed attack he was shot in the right leg , but he nevertheless staggered forward at the head of his command . Soon afterwards he was again shot in the right arm , but he continued the charge , personally cheering his troops on through the heavy machinegun fire . Just before the objective was reached he received a wound in the abdomen , which forced him to the ground , but he continued to urge his men on , telling them to push on to the next ridge and leave him where he lay . He died from his wounds a few days later .