John Lewis Barkley (August 28, 1895 – April 14, 1966) was a United States Army Medal of Honor recipient of World War I. Born in Blairstown, Missouri, near Holden, Barkley served as a Private First Class in Company K, 4th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division. He earned the medal while fighting near Cunel, France, on October 7, 1918. His autobiography, "Scarlet Fields: The Combat Memoir of a World War I Medal of Honor Hero," details his service leading up to and following his Medal of Honor action.^[1] The book draws comparisons as the American literary response to "All Quiet on the Western Front."^{[citation needed]}

Quick Facts Born, Died ...

John Lewis Barkley
Medal of Honor recipient
Born	(1895-08-28)August 28, 1895 Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
Died	April 14, 1966(1966-04-14) (aged 70)
Place of burial	Forest Hill Calvary Cemetery Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1917 - 1919
Rank	Corporal
Service number	2214317
Unit	Company K, 4th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division
Battles/wars	World War I Meuse Argonne Offensive
Awards	Medal of Honor

Close

Barkley died on April 14, 1966, and is buried in Forest Hill Calvary Cemetery in Kansas City, Missouri.^[2]

Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company K, 4th Infantry, 3rd Division. Place and date: At Cunel, France; October 7, 1918. Entered service at: Blairstown, Missouri. Birth: August 28, 1895; Blairstown, Missouri. General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 44 (April 2, 1919).

Citation:

Private First Class Barkley, who was stationed in an observation post half a kilometer from the German line, on his own initiative repaired a captured enemy machinegun and mounted it in a disabled French tank near his post. Shortly afterward, when the enemy launched a counterattack against our forces, Private First Class Barkley got into the tank, waited under the hostile barrage until the enemy line was abreast of him and then opened fire, completely breaking up the counterattack and killing and wounding a large number of the enemy. Five minutes later an enemy 77-millimeter gun opened fire on the tank pointblank. One shell struck the drive wheel of the tank, but this soldier nevertheless remained in the tank and after the barrage ceased broke up a second enemy counterattack, thereby enabling our forces to gain and hold Hill 25.^[3]

Barkley's military decorations and awards include:

• List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War I