Emory Jenison Pike
Photos by Kent Kooi
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World War I Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He was
posthumously awarded the CMOH for meritorious actions near
Vandieres, France, on September 15, 1918. He was Lieutenant
Colonel and Division Machinegun Officer for the 82nd Division,
and the first member of the 82nd Division to be awarded the
Medal of Honor. (The second was Sergeant Alvin York.) Colonel
Pike went forward during heavy artillery shelling to reconnoiter
new positions for his guns. He rounded up several infantry
platoons that had become dispersed during the shelling. When an
enemy shell wounded one of the soldiers, he immediately went to
his aid and was severely wounded himself. He continued to direct
his men until he and the other wounded were removed from the
field. Colonel Pike died of his wounds the following day,
September 16, 1918. He was first buried in France, and later
returned to the United States. He was born in 1876 in Columbus
City, Iowa, where his father was a Methodist minister. The
family later moved several counties west to Sigourney, Iowa,
where Pike graduated high school in 1894. He then graduated West
Point with the class of 1901 (Pike was 73d in his class of
74).He served with the 2nd United States Cavalry in Cuba and the
United States. In 1914, he was a Distinguished Service Graduate
from the Army's School of the Line, and in 1915 completed the
Army Staff College at Fort Leavenworth. Promoted from Captain to
Major, he was assigned as an instructor at the School of the
Line at Fort Leavenworth. In April 1918 Pike went to Europe with
his Division, and was killed in action. His Medal of Honor was
presented to his daughter, Martha. Major General J.M.
Wainwright, Assistant Chief of Staff, 82nd Division, wrote to
Colonel Pike's mother informing her of his death. In his letter,
Wainwright wrote: "He has been recommended for the Medal of
Honor...When my time comes I only hope I can die as gallantly as
did your son..." (bio by:
Kent Kooi)
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From Iowa Wesleyan College Archives....
Pike matriculated at West Point in 1897, and graduated a year early like all cadets at the time due to the Spanish-American War. No scholar, ranked lowest in his class and earned the dubious distinction of compiling the second highest number of demerits in his class of 1901 for such infractions as playing poker, throwing bread, asking irrelevant questions, and grinning while being disciplined. He served in Cuba and the Philippines before joining the 82nd Division as Machine Gun commander after entered WWI.
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PIKE, EMORY J. Rank and Organization: Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, Division Machinegun Officer, 82d Division. Place and Date: Near Vandieres, France, 15 September 1918. Entered Service At: Des Moines, Iowa. Birth: Columbia City, Iowa. G. O. No.: 16, W.D., 1919.
Citation:
Having gone forward to reconnoiter new machinegun positions, Lt. Col. Pike offered his assistance in reorganizing advance infantry units which had become disorganized during a heavy artillery shelling. He succeeded in locating only about 20 men, but with these he advanced and when later joined by several infantry platoons rendered inestimable service in establishing outposts, encouraging all by his cheeriness, in spite of the extreme danger of the situation. When a shell had wounded one of the men in the outpost, Lt. Col. Pike immediately went to his aid and was severely wounded himself when another shell burst in the same place. While waiting to be brought to the rear, Lt. Col. Pike continued in command, still retaining his jovial manner of encouragement, directing the reorganization until the position could be held. The entire operation was carried on under terrific bombardment, and the example of courage and devotion to duty, as set by Lt. Col. Pike, established the highest standard of morale and confidence to all under his charge. The wounds he received were the cause of his death. On December 18, 1876 he was born in Columbus City [Louisa County], the fifth of ten children. His father was a Methodist minister. His great uncle was explorer Zebulon Pike, the discoverer of Pike’s Peak in Colorado. Emory graduated from high school in Sigourney, Iowa, and entered West Point at age 20. At age 24 he married Ethel Trigg who was fifteen. They had five children. Contributed by Pat White |
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