Captain Samuel Woodfill
 

The Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society, Frankfort, Ky. May,
1920, Vol. 18, No. 53. "Above and Beyond the Call of Duty", by Fred P.
Caldwell, State Historian for Kentucky Council of Defense, Louisville, Ky.
pp. 11-12. Campbell County.



Captain Samuel Woodfill

Samuel Woodfill, of distinguished deeds and acts of great valor performed by American soldiers during the World War I, there is no one which stands out more conspicuously than that of Capt. Samuel Woodfill, of Ft. Thomas, Ky.  His ancestors were revolutionary soldiers and members of the Rogers and Clarke expedition. 

Capt. Woodfill has spent all of his adult life in the army, serving in the Far West, Alaska, and the Philippines, upon the Mexican border and in Europe.  Six feet in height, weighing about 210 pounds, he is straight as an arrow, muscular and active. His steel grey eyes, which are as bright and piercing as an eagle's, radiate decision and force.

    When General Pershing was requested, in the summer of 1919, to name 100 men of the United States Army whose acts of gallantry were typical of the fighting spirit of the American forces, he selected Capt. Woodfill as one of that number.

    Capt. Woodfill has been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, the Cross of the Legion of Honor, the Croix de Guerre, and other medals.  In addition to these evidences of his intrepidity in action, he has many citations from his superior regimental officers, of which the following is a fair sample:

    "The character of the service in France of Capt. Samuel Woodfill has been most extraordinary and sterling in its nature.  During the Meuse-Argonne offense he personally captured several machine guns and killed about nineteen Germans, this while commanding his company.  Frank B. Hawkins, Colonel 60th Infantry."

    It was while he was First Lieutenant of Co. M, 60th Infantry, 5th Division, and in the Meuse-Argone offensive, on Oct. 12, 1918, that Lieut. (now Capt.) Woodfill so signally distinguished himself.  The story of the splendid fight for which he was awarded the Medal of
Honor is so graphically told in the official citation, that it would be useless to attempt to add to that document, which is as follows:

    "By direction of the President under the provisions of the act of Congress, approved July 9, 1918, the Medal of Honor has been awarded, in the name of the Congress, to the following named officer for the act of gallantry set after his name.  Following is Gen. Pershing's cabled recommendations, which has been approved:

    "First Lieut. Samuel Woodfill, 60th Infantry.  For conspicuous gallantry
and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy
at Cunel, France, October 12, 1918.  While Lieut. Woodfill was leading his
company against the enemy his line came under heavy machine gun fire, which
threatened to hold up the advance.  Followed by two soldiers at 25 yards,
this officer went out ahead of his first line toward a machine gun nest and
worked his way around its flank, leaving the two soldiers in front.  When
he got within 10 yards of the gun it ceased firing and four of the enemy
appeared, three of whom were shot by Lieut. Woodfill.  The fourth, an
officer, rushed at Lieut. Woodfill, who attempted to club the officer with
his rifle.  After a hand-to-hand struggle, Lieut. Woodfill killed the
officer with his pistol.  His company thereupon continued to advance until
shortly afterward another machine gun nest was encountered.  Calling on his
men to follow, Lieut. Woodfill rushed ahead of his line in the face of
heavy fire from the next, and when several of the enemy appeared above the
nest, he shot them, capturing three other members of the crew and silencing
the gun.  A few minutes later this officer for the third time demonstrated
conspicuous daring by charging another machine gun position, killing five
men in one machine gun pit with his rifle.  He then drew his revolver and
started to jump into the pit when two other gunners only a few yards away
turned their gun on him.  Failing to kill them with his revolver, he
exceptional courage displayed by this officer, his men pressed on their
objective under severe shell and machine gun fire.

    Home address, Mrs. Samuel Woodfill, 167 Alexandria Pike, Fort Thomas, Ky.'"
    U. S. Official Bulletin, Feb. 13, 1919.
 
    Capt. Woodfill came through this thrilling experience unharmed, except
that he suffered a slight shrapnel wound, and was gassed.  The records of Capt. Woodfill and Sergeant Sandlin are an inspiration.  The stores of their brave deeds thrill us with gratitude and admiration.  The high honors won by them are a fitting reward for conspicuous gallantry
"above and beyond the call of duty."  We are proud to claim them as Kentuckians.


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