b. 01/01/1890 Jackson, Kentucky. d. 29/05/1949 Hyden, Kentucky.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 26/09/1918 Bois-de-Forges, France.
Willie Sandlin MOH
Willie Sandlin was born in Breathitt County. Born of humble parents, he lost his mother when he was a small boy. e enlisted in the Army in 1912 and served on the Mexican border. In 1917, he was sent to France with the 132d Infantry. Promoted to sergeant, Sandlin single-handedly destroyed three German machine gun emplacements and killed 24 of the enemy on September 26, 1918, at Bois de Forges. For that action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor on February 9, 1919. He was the only Kentuckian to receive the Medal of Honor in World War I. Of all the American servicemen who fought in the war, only Sergeant Alvin York received more decorations for valour than Sandlin.
After the war, Sandlin returned to eastern Kentucky and bought a farm on Owls Nest Creek near Hyden. He and his wife, the former Belvia Roberts, were active in the Frontier Nursing Service. They had one son and four daughters.
Sandlin, then 59, died on May 29, 1949, of a lingering lung infection resulting from a poison gas attack on his company in the Meuse–Argonne offensive. He was buried in Hurricane Cemetery near Hyden.
In September 1990, his remains were reburied in the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in Louisville. Willie’s wife, Belvia Roberts Sandlin, lived to be 96 years old. She died on February 11, 1999. Belvia was 47 years of age when Willie died and she never married again.
In 2018, the family of Willie Sandlin donated several artifacts, including Sandlin’s pistol, uniform, Medal of Honor and Bronze Star to the Kentucky Historical Society in Frankfort.
MOH CITATION:
He showed conspicuous gallantry in action by advancing alone directly on a machine-gun nest which was holding up the line with its fire. He killed the crew with a grenade and enabled the line to advance. Later in the day he attacked alone and put out of action two other machine-gun nests, setting a splendid example of bravery and coolness to his men.
BURIAL LOCATION: KENTUCKY VETERANS CEMETERY, HYDEN, KENTUCKY.
SECTION 2, SITE 138.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: KENTUCKY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, FRANKFORT, KENTUCKY.
