Meritorious Service
I did a little digging to find some stories of the M1917 revolvers in combat. What I found came from two U.S. Army Medal of Honor citations — offering ample evidence of the power of the M1917 revolver, and the qualities of the brave Americans who carried them.
First Lieutenant Woodfill: October 12, 1918 in the Meuse-Argonne region, near Cunel, with the 60th Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division.
While First Lieutenant 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 the 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 Lt. Woodfill. The fourth, an officer, rushed at Lt. Woodfill, who attempted to club the officer with his rifle. After a hand-to-hand struggle, Lt. Woodfill killed the German 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, Lt. Woodfill rushed ahead in the face of heavy fire from the nest, 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, 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 grabbed a pick lying nearby and killed both of them. Inspired by the exceptional courage displayed by this officer, his men pressed on to their objective under severe shell and machine gun fire.
Second Lieutenant J. Hunter Wickersham (deceased), 353rd Infantry, 89th Division: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy near Limey, France, 12 September 1918.
Advancing with his platoon during the St. Mihiel Offensive, Lieutenant Wickersham was severely wounded in four places by a bursting high explosive shell. Before receiving any aid for himself he dressed the wounds of his orderly, who was wounded at the same time. He then ordered and accompanied the further advance of his platoon, although weakened by the loss of blood. His right hand and arm being disabled by wounds, he continued to fire his revolver with his left hand, until exhausted by the loss of blood, he fell and died.
Wickersham wrote a poem, The Raindrops on Your Old Tin Hat, the day before he died and posted it in a letter to his mother in Denver, Colo. It contained this verse:
“When you step off with the outfit to do your little bit,
You’re simply doing what you’re supposed to do,
And you don’t take time to figure what you gain or lose,
It’s the spirit of the game that brings you through.”
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