John Cridland Latham – Chief Warrant Officer, United States Army

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Born in England on March 3, 1888, he earned the Medal of Honor in World War I while serving as Sergeant, Machinegun Company, 107th Infantry, 27th Division, near Le Catelet, France, on September 29, 1918. The Medal was actually issued to him in 1919.

He died on November 5, 1975 and was buried in Section 35 of Arlington National Cemetery.

LATHAM, JOHN CRIDLAND

Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Machine Gun Company, 107th Infantry, 27th Division. Place and date: Near Le Catelet, France, 29 September 1918. Entered service at: Rutherford, New Jersey. Born: 3 March 1888, Windemere, England. G.O. No.: 20, W.D., 1919.

Citation:

Becoming separated from their platoon by a smoke barrage, Sgt. Latham, Sgt. Alan L. Eggers, and Cpl. Thomas E. O'Shea took cover in a shellhole well within the enemy's lines. Upon hearing a call for help from an American tank which had become disabled 30 yards from them, the 3 soldiers left their shelter and started toward the tank under heavy fire from German machineguns and trench mortars. In crossing the fire-swept area, Cpl. O'Shea was mortally wounded, but his companions, undeterred, proceeded to the tank, rescued a wounded officer, and assisted 2 wounded soldiers to cover in the sap of a nearby trench. Sgts. Latham and Eggers then returned to the tank in the face of the violent fire, dismounted a Hotchkiss gun, and took it back to where the wounded men were keeping off the enemy all day by effective use of the gun and later bringing it with the wounded men back to our lines under cover of darkness.

jclatham

LATHAM, JOHN C
WOJG   US ARMY
WORLD WAR I

  • DATE OF BIRTH: 03/03/1888
  • DATE OF DEATH: 11/02/1975
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 35  SITE 1127
    ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

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