Michael B . Ellis Michael B . Ellis ( October 28 , 1894 – December 9 , 1937 ) was a United States Army sergeant and a recipient of the United States military ' s highest decoration , the Medal of Honor , for his actions in World War I . Early life and career . Ellis was born in St . Louis , Missouri , on October 28 , 1894 . His mother died when he was an infant , and his father was too poor to provide for him properly . He was adopted by a Polish family , the Moczdlowskis , who lived in East St . Louis , Illinois . After attending St . Laurence O ' Toole parochial school , he quit school at age 12 and worked in his adoptive father ' s print shop . Four years later , on February 8 , 1912 , he enlisted in the United States Army at Jefferson Barracks , Missouri . He served with Company K , 7th Infantry Regiment , along the border with Mexico and at Veracruz . When his three - year term of service expired , Ellis received an honorable discharge , but after six months of civilian life he re - enlisted . Sent to France as a private in Company C , 28th Infantry Regiment , 1st Division , he saw front - line action for 200 days near Soissons and was awarded the Silver Star . He was promoted to corporal on April 16 , 1917 , and to sergeant a month later . The official record of the War Department states : " He showed unusual courage in carrying supplies and in attacking strong points at Brouil , Pleissy , and Berney - le - Sac . Our allies , recognizing Sergeant Ellis ' bravery , awarded him the Chevalier Legion of Honor of France , and the Croix - de - Guerre with Palm , the Cross of War of Italy , Cross of War of Poland and Recognition by the Moroccan Government , two medals , Senior and Junior . " On October 5 , 1918 , Ellis ' division was participating in the Hundred Days Offensive near Exermont in northeast France . Ellis advanced ahead of his company and single - handedly attacked several German machine gun nests . In total , he silenced eleven machine guns and captured dozens of enemy soldiers . After many campaigns throughout France , he was promoted to first sergeant . In August 1919 , he returned to St . Louis , where General John J . Pershing presented him with the Medal of Honor for his actions near Exermont . He was the only soldier in Pershing ' s 1st Division to receive this honor . Ellis later had difficulty finding a job as a civilian . Informed of his troubles , President Calvin Coolidge arranged for him to work at the post office in St . Louis . On January 2 , 1921 , Ellis met a young woman of Polish descent . They discovered they had been childhood playmates in East St . Louis ; the two were married on February 13 , 1923 , in St . Louis . Ellis died of pneumonia in a Chicago hospital on December 9 , 1937 . He was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery . Medal of Honor citation . Rank and organization : Sergeant , U . S . Army , Company C , 28th Infantry , 1st Division . Place and date : Near Exermont , France , 5 October 1918 . Entered service at : East St . Louis , Illinois . Born : 28 October 1894 , St . Louis , Missouri . G . O . No . : 74 , W . D . , 1919 : During the entire day ' s engagement he operated far in advance of the first wave of his company , voluntarily undertaking most dangerous missions and single - handedly attacking and reducing machinegun nests . Flanking one emplacement , he killed 2 of the enemy with rifle fire and captured 17 others . Later he single - handedly advanced under heavy fire and captured 27 prisoners , including 2 officers and 6 machineguns , which had been holding up the advance of the company . The captured officers indicated the locations of 4 other machineguns , and he in turn captured these , together with their crews , at all times showing marked heroism and fearlessness .