H.W. Daniels Post No. 29

Capt. Hoddie Wilbur Daniels, M.D., a native of Randolph County and a practicing physician in Elkins for more than 20 years, volunteered for the Medical Corps, U.S. Army, in 1917 and went to France with the 38th Infantry, 3rd Division, in April 1918. During the Aisne-Marne Offensive on July 19, 1918, after learning that about 40 wounded Americans were being held behind the German lines, he called for volunteers and, with about eight or ten men, crawled near the prisoners. He then stood and demanded their release for treatment. The guards fired on him, and Americans fired back, killing several guards and forcing others to surrender. The wounded Americans and German prisoners were brought back to the American lines, where it was discovered that one or two of the wounded were missing. Daniels returned to No Man's Land to search for them and was killed there by a German sniper.

Elkins, West Virginia · United States