Navy Federal Credit Union

Awards Received

  • Medal of Honor

    Service:

    United States Army

    Rank:

    Sergeant

    Regiment:

    28th Infantry Regiment

    Division:

    1st Division, American Expeditionary Forces

    Action Date:

    October 5, 1918

    War Department, General Orders No. 74 (June 7, 1919)

    The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Sergeant Michael B. Ellis (ASN: 56976), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 5 October 1918, while serving with Company C, 28th Infantry, 1st Division, in action at Exermont, France. During the entire day’s engagement Sergeant Ellis 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 two of the enemy with rifle fire and captured 17 others. Later he single-handedly advanced under heavy fire and captured 27 prisoners, including two officers and six machineguns, which had been holding up the advance of the company. The captured officers indicated the locations of four other machineguns, and he in turn captured these, together with their crews, at all times showing marked heroism and fearlessness.